We already knew that Xbox “Project Scorpio” wasn’t getting any VR capabilities in 2017, but now we also know that Microsoft won’t be previewing its VR work at E3 next week either.

“Our primary focus [now] is making our mixed reality experiences a success on Windows 10 PCs,” Microsoft’s Alex Kipman told the website Polygon. “We believe that right now a Windows PC is the best platform for mixed reality as its open ecosystem and enormous installed base offer the best opportunity for developers, and Windows offers the most choices for consumers.”

Microsoft had previously stated that it would bring its Windows Mixed Reality technologies to the Xbox One platform, including Scorpio, in 2018, about one year after its debut on Windows. But with the software giant set to formally launch Xbox “Project Scorpio,” its coming 4K-capable Xbox One console, next week, many were speculating that we might at least get a demo.

Nope. And Kipman let loose with another interesting tidbit about how this might work differently on Xbox.

“Windows has been the birthplace of a variety of technologies, and we believe this will hold for mixed reality too,” Kipman continued. “Given the efforts we have underway on Windows for Mixed Reality, and our belief that console VR should be wireless, right now we are focused on developing mixed reality experiences for the PC, not on the console.”

So the Xbox-based VR experiences will be wireless, and not tethered by cables as they will be on the PC. That certainly makes sense.

But now I’m wondering if Microsoft will create its own VR headset for Xbox, or go the partner route as it does with Windows 10. I had assumed the latter, but now I’m wondering if a single device, developed in-house, doesn’t make more sense for the consoles.

Tagged with mixed reality, Scorpio, virtual reality, VR, Windows Mixed Reality