In a partnership that will please VR fans on a budget, Valve have confirmed that Microsoft’s new VR headsets will be compatible with SteamVR. These headsets are planned to launch this winter, and provide a cheaper alternative for people who can’t quite afford a Oculus Rift or a HTC Vive.
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“The introduction of Windows Mixed Reality headsets is [a] big step forward for VR,” Valve’s Joe Ludwig says, stating that “working with Microsoft to include SteamVR compatibility with these devices is a big step in growing VR as an open platform for developers and consumers.”
While Valve have committed to Windows VR support, it is not clear if all pre-existing VR games will automatically work with these new headsets. Developers may have to retroactively add Windows VR support for each game, so be aware that these new headsets may not work with all VR games straight out of the box.
Microsoft have also announced that both Minecraft and Halo will be coming to VR in the near future. Minecraft VR will launch with Microsoft’s VR headsets, with Halo coming later down the line. A VR version of Minecraft already exists on the Oculus Rift and Gear VR, so it’s only natural that it would come to Windows VR once the headsets are publicly available.
As for Halo, according to UploadVR, it will be coming in the first wave of games coming to Microsoft’s ‘Mixed Reality’ platforms. With the HoloLens still only available as a $3000 development kit, I imagine the first Halo experience will see you donning a Spartan helmet and charging into battle in VR. Who knows, we may even see a VR remake of the original Halo trilogy in the future.