If you have an Xbox One, you may want to expand your gaming library by opting for a VR headset to play some VR games.
While this is something that is available to most gamers that have a PC or a Playstation 4 or 5, it’s not available to people that have an Xbox One.
This is because, for the time being, Microsoft is not prioritizing VR on the Xbox One but rather focusing on VR on PC.
If you’d like to play VR but have an Xbox One, your best bet is to opt for a Playstation console or a good enough PC that can run VR titles.
Why Doesn’t the Xbox One Support VR?
Both the S and X versions of the Xbox One do not support VR currently. This means that none of the popular VR headsets available in the market are compatible with the Xbox One consoles.
This is fairly confusing to consumers since their competitor, the Playstation, has a Playstation VR headset of its own.
It’s even more confusing when you think about the fact that Microsoft has an entire Mixed Reality division that conducts research and development on VR on a daily basis.
The Mixed Reality division for Microsoft is currently focused on virtual reality experiences that focus on businesses and enterprises.
They have spoken out about the fact that when it comes to VR in gaming, they think that the technology is still not there yet. The company feels that they have to polish their VR experience further before they can push something out that is consumer-ready.
Ultimately, Microsoft still thinks that in today’s day and age, PC is where VR has the most potential to grow.
This is why they are not focusing on VR when it comes to the Xbox One consoles and this is exactly why we still don’t have a VR solution for it to this day.
Phil Spencer, the CEO of Microsoft Game Studios, stated in an interview with Giantbomb that they want to see the technology grow on PC before they can bring it to their console.
He stated:
“The power of the box is fine in terms of having a VR or MR experience run on it, it’s really that family room environment that we’re struggling a little bit with.
We’re saying ‘okay, let’s stay more on the PC where we’re seeing action and developer interest until we really get the art form of what it means to create great MR experiences, then it can go to more places.’”
So, What Do I Do If I Want to Play VR and Have an Xbox One?
Sadly, you can’t get a VR headset that’ll work with the Xbox One console.
In this case, your best bet would be to get a VR headset that is stand-alone. This means that the VR headset itself is a console. It does not require a PC or any gaming console to run VR titles.
Right now, your best bet for such a VR headset is the Oculus Quest 2.
You have other options as well such as the HTC Vive Focus 3. However, the problem with VR headsets like that is the fact that they are enterprise VR headsets and don’t have a ton of focus on gaming.
Wrapping Things Up…
It’s sad that you can’t play VR games on your Xbox One console for now.
Microsoft is taking its sweet time when it comes to providing a virtual reality solution for the Xbox One. Hopefully, it’ll be worth the wait.
When Microsoft does finally come out with a VR headset solution for the Xbox One, we hope it’ll blow us all away.
Until then, we recommend that you either stick with your PC or a Playstation console to fulfill your VR gaming needs.