Summary

• Xbox co-creator Seamus Blackley shares his skepticism about VR technology, particularly due to its limited appeal and cumbersome experience.
• While the Xbox brand has not heavily invested in VR like its competitor PlayStation, Microsoft is collaborating with Meta to develop a VR headset.
• Despite the absence of a standout title to drive VR adoption, the technology is witnessing growth with successful games and devices from Meta.

Insights from Seamus Blackley on the virtual reality landscape reveal a divide in the gaming industry regarding its viability. Historically, PlayStation has embraced VR through its PS VR line, while Xbox has refrained from launching its own headset.

In a recent interview on the VideoGamer Podcast, Blackley criticized VR’s failure to gain widespread acceptance, attributing this to the lack of a “killer app”. He noted that while the idea of VR is enticing, many users feel discomfort and disappointment when using headsets, which could hinder broader acceptance.

Conversely, Blackley surfaced in a discussion that Microsoft has been making strides to integrate VR experiences, albeit in a different form, such as the Xbox Cloud Gaming app that enables users to play Xbox games on Meta headsets, albeit without full VR support.

Moving forward, while VR still faces an uphill battle in achieving a level of popularity comparable to traditional gaming, notable titles are starting to emerge, suggesting a slow but steady shift within the industry.