A Microsoft spokesperson has told IGN that VR is not coming to the Xbox Series X|S at this time after it was reported the Xbox console referred to a VR peripheral.
IGN Italy reported that while testing the new Xbox Wireless Headset a prompt appeared on their Xbox Series X system saying their “VR Headset” needs an update. This suggests the Xbox Series X supports VR peripherals in some capacity.
However, a Microsoft Spokesperson says this is not the case. In a statement to IGN, the company says, “The copy in this error message is inaccurate due to a localization bug. VR for console is not a focus for us at this time.”
Source: Giovanni Marrelli, IGN Italy
Microsoft has been asked in the past whether it will bring VR to the Xbox, but the company has been cool on the idea. Ahead of the Xbox Series X reveal in 2019, Phil Spencer said that VR is not part of its next-gen plans because “nobody’s asking for it.”
Compare this with PlayStation which has been an early adopter of console VR, and fairly successful with its venture to boot. The company recently announced a new VR headset for the PlayStation 5.
Meanwhile, Microsoft isn’t completely out of the VR game though most, if not all, of its efforts, are entirely on the PC side of things. Windows mixed reality platform works with VR games, and the HoloLens AR headset recently revealed a Pokemon demo created in partnership with Niantic using the Microsoft Mesh mixed reality platform.
So at this time at least, Microsoft seems content keeping AR/VR on PC while focusing on other ventures for its Xbox Series X hardware.
Matt T.M. Kim is IGN’s News EditorSource