14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft Xbox boss Phil Spencer doesn't want all video games to migrate towards virtual reality, as some interactive experiences can still be enjoyed rather well in a classic way with friends and family surrounding the player.
The virtual reality "revolution" has been brewing for several years now, and with the upcoming launch of consumer-oriented headsets, from the Valve/HTC Vive, to the Oculus Rift or Sony's PlayStation VR, it seems that the future of gaming is heading rapidly towards VR.
Microsoft has its own vision of this future with the HoloLens augmented reality headset, but it has also secured partnerships with Valve for the Vive on PC, as well as with Oculus for Rift compatibility for the Xbox One controllers.
Spencer doesn't want to go all-in on VR
However, while Microsoft's Xbox overseer Phil Spencer is excited about all the virtual reality things and projects going on, he explains that not all games should go completely into virtual reality. According to the executive, some games work much better when not only the player but also people around him or her enjoy the experience.
He mentions to Gamespot that there will be games that are perfect for VR, and he's excited about them, but there are also titles like Mario where spectators can also take part in the action, even if they don't hold the controller.
"I love playing games in my family room with my kids. I love people coming together and watching what's happening on screen and laughing, and the kind of fun of what video games were always about. That doesn't mean that can't happen in a kind of socially connected VR environment, but to me it would be too bad if all gaming became people with head mounted displays on, headphones on, kind of blocked out from everything that happens," he says.
A lot of game developers are experiencing with virtual reality through all sorts of headsets and technologies. However, it's a safe bet that at least some titles won't be translated into VR anytime soon.