Microsoft got a new VR headset and Motion controller's

Acer will release a Windows Mixed Reality VR headset with Microsoft’s new motion controllers for $399 during the holiday season, and it may not be the only company to do so. Microsoft announced the news when it unveiled the controllers at today’s Build keynote. While Acer is the only company named so far, Microsoft says multiple partners may be selling these controllers at retail during the same time frame.

Acer is one of several manufacturers working with Microsoft on Windows Mixed Reality (formerly Windows Holographic) devices. It showed off an early version of its headset at CES, and a development kit without the controller will sell for $299 this summer, with preorders opening today. Like other Mixed Reality headsets, it uses built-in cameras to track users’ motions, instead of external sensors, and is tethered to a Windows 10 PC. This, along with its low price, could make it a more convenient option for people who aren’t interested in the often intensive setups that desktop VR currently requires.

https://www.theverge.com/2017/5/11/15622496/acer-microsoft-build-windows-mixed-reality-motion-controller-pricing-availability

Third party stuff but Microsoft approved for PC. MS might have VR games in the work's? Not sure if this will be for Scorpio also maybe at E3

Interesting but setting up VR isn't intensive. I recently had a loan of an OR headset, to try out and it took about 10 minutes to download, install and setup the thing. Fun toy but I wasn't overly impressed. Also Mixed, Actual, holographic Reality (whatever they are calling it now) is really very different to VR with a different market.

Please let this fad die quicker than pesudo 3d did.

Ew... hopefully they focus more on the AR side of things instead of VR.

Looks slick. Would love to try it out :)

I got a Samsung Galaxy S8+, which comes with a free Galaxy VR. Takes 6-8 weeks to get here. I will try it once, then it will end up in the basement in storage collecting dust.

I guess its time for Acer to flop along with the PSVR.

The HMD looks like a blue whale XD

I love VR. I'd be interested. Besides it looks cute.

@Pedro: right, I'd have slight intrest and it could be moderately successful if the AR side of it is great. If the minecraft demo is a reality on this thing and your basically virtually playing lego's it's gonna see some success. But majority of people aren't dropping $1000 on a toy for their kids ?(System+headset)

Def a solid pass for me unless something amazing happens and it's supported and popular. Like for real popular more than a million, has like 10x the amount of "success" PSVR has ?

I still don't get how people think AR is superior to VR for gaming. That's rather laughable considering the "terrain" a game is played on becomes completely subjective depending on where you are using it. I imagine that hampers game design greatly.

MS should just leave the VR stuff to Sony where it's dying a slow miserable death.

Kicking a virtual rubber duck in my living room will be marvelous! :P :P :P

AR will eventually be able to replace VR, HoloLens does this as apps can cover the whole FOV of the device

@Shewgenja: I don't either. It baffles me, and I say that even as a tech enthusiast who is interested in all creative uses of new technology. The immersive quality of VR, which places you directly in a virtual game world, is a clear step forward for many types of gaming experiences like space simulators or games with first person perspective (motion sickness issues notwithstanding).

I've tried to keep an open mind to AR - but for gaming, at least as we currently think of it, I find it hard to imagine as more than a gimmick. I would love to be proven wrong... I'm sure some fun games will be developed with it in mind, but it just seems more useful outside of gaming right now.

@SakusEnvoy: @daniel_su123:

Don't get me wrong. I think AR will be a great technology. I just see a case where the technologies will become indistinguishable from each other down the line.

All a VR helmet needs to do is miniaturize and add two cameras to the front and you have a fully fleshed device. Conversely, an AR device that can keep "real reality" from bleeding through is also viable. I don't think there is really a war between the technologies so much as in their current state, they are dedicated to very different applications.

In 5-10 years, we will be laughing about all of this.

Indeed, AR is just more of a real life application to enhance the current world, not to make a new one.

AR sucks. Even partial AR. Total VR is the only way to go for total immersion.

I agree with all the AR/VR talk ^ Keeping an open mind but it's much easier to see how VR can enhance the playing of a game without hampering it. AR looks especially promising for important or convenient real life applications.

On a brighter note, it appears the controllers are very good!

https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2017/05/microsofts-new-vr-controllers-will-be-great-until-steamvr-knuckles-arrive/

This is headset is VR too. You can tell because the visor is solid and you can't see out of it.

Maybe, it depends on the cameras. In order to accurately track in 3D, the controllers need to be visible to both cameras, not just one. They also must be able to focus on objects 2 feet away or less as well as objects that could be 8 feet away or more, at the same time. Without specs, it's impossible to know the area size the controllers could be accurately tracked in.