Sony launched PlayStation VR several years ago on the PS4, giving console players a chance to experience the virtual reality craze that had been limited to PC platforms in the past. If you were expecting Microsoft to follow suit with its upcoming Xbox console Project Scarlett, however, you’re going to be in for some disappointment.
Speaking to Stevivor, head of Xbox Phil Spencer expressed his doubt that console customers would be interested in a VR headset for the Xbox platform, pointing to its success on PC. He also stressed that the sales figures for VR were still relatively low, and far from comparable to traditional console units.
“I have some issues with VR — it’s isolating and I think of games as a communal, kind of a together experience. We’re responding to what our customers are asking for and nobody’s asking for VR,” Spencer added.
It’s a curious move by Microsoft, considering that it had been partnering with Oculus to bundle in Xbox controllers for use on the PC-connected Rift headset. Given the cross-play and cross-buy initiative at Microsoft across Xbox and PC gaming, the decision to omit VR support could be in order to guarantee cross-buy can be universal for the next generation.
The need for an external device to play VR games is also a thing of the past, thanks to systems like Oculus Quest. At a fraction of the cost of more powerful systems like HTC Vive or Valve Index, the standalone headsets support many of the same games, need no tracking cameras, and run on batteries so they can be played almost anywhere. Should Microsoft choose as an alternative to develop titles for Quest, it could create more interest in its core Xbox games and encourage VR players to also purchase a new console.
Should Microsoft change its stance on VR support for Project Scarlett, the system will certainly be powerful enough to handle it. With 8K resolution and ray tracing enabled, the console can outperform midrange PC systems, and should be future-proof for at least the next several years. The PS5 will be, as well, and will support VR just like the PS4 did before it.
Acer’s Predator Atlas 8 finally has a US release date and price, several months after the company first showed off the handheld in May. The highlight is the Intel Arc G3 Extreme chip inside, which has been adopted by only a couple of other consoles besides the Atlas 8. This version will go on sale exclusively at Best Buy on November 1 for $1,299.99.
Acer originally said the Atlas 8 would arrive in North America in October, but left pricing open at the time. The launch came amid the ongoing DRAM crunch, which has made memory more expensive across the PC industry and complicated pricing for hardware makers.
Gaming laptops and I have a complicated relationship. One of my first gaming rigs was an Acer Predator that was already outdated when I bought it. I was a broke college kid, and that was the best I could afford. So trying out high-end gaming laptops is always fun. But ASUS' ROG Zephyrus G14 is a lot more than a laptop that can run AAA games. It is portable, so you're not lugging around a 2.5kg machine everywhere you go. It is built well, none of that plastic chassis, and can even function as a normal laptop outside of just gaming.
Google Play is borrowing one of the Nintendo Switch’s most useful little tricks. A new Sidekick tool called Playbacks captures a short clip after something interesting has already happened, sparing players from running a screen recorder throughout an entire game.
Playbacks is part of Google Play Store v53.8 and keeps saved clips on the phone. Google first announced it earlier this month, but the new Play Store update marks its arrival for players. Anyone who has watched a perfect win vanish because the record button came too late already understands the appeal.