Gaming in Virtual Reality: Microsoft and Oculus Join Forces
At a press event on June 11, 2015, virtual reality powerhouse Oculus announced an official partnership with Microsoft in advance of the retail release of the Oculus Rift VR headset in early 2016. The Rift will be capable of streaming Xbox One games and media through Windows 10 PCs, and Windows 10 is being designed to be the premiere OS for PC virtual reality.
Windows 10 will be a universal operating system for all devices, be it a smartphone or personal computer. Having Microsoft supported devices interact with Oculus Rift will create unique experiences and enable developers to release their imagination.
What This Partnership Means
- Windows 10 will be the native operating system for the Oculus Rift, allowing for streaming of content directly from your computer.
- The Oculus Rift will be shipped along with an Xbox One controller as the standard interface device.
- Gamers will be able to have an immersive experience with Windows 10 and Xbox One games without a massive television taking up the entire room.
- Xbox One titles will be available for the Oculus Rift, possibly by streaming through Windows 10.
The key takeaway of the list above is that Windows 10 will be the cornerstone for integrating the Oculus Rift with games and applications stored on your PC or console.
Powerful Partners
Developing a multiplatform operating system that can bridge applications across devices is a major accomplishment. Oculus goes perfectly with Windows 10 because of the potential to create a rich virtual reality experience for games and non-gaming programs.
The official partnership between Oculus and Microsoft came as a surprise to many, but it makes perfect sense for both companies. Oculus gains official integration of the Xbox controller, one of the most popular input devices of all time, native support in Windows 10 and from DirectX 12, and Xbox One game streaming to expand the library of Oculus-compatible content at launch. Microsoft delivers hard on its promise to make Windows 10 attractive to gamers and provides a supremely compelling reason for gamers to pick up an Xbox One.
Beyond the Oculus Rift, Microsoft has also announced full support for the virtual reality device coming from Steam developer Valve and HTC, the Vive. Clearly, Windows 10 is being positioned as the definitive operating system for those interested in virtual reality, so you'll want to upgrade if you're excited to be on the cutting edge of this new technology when it begins releasing to the public over the next year.
