IGN has posted quite a lengthy deep dive on all things Gran Turismo 7 VR, right on the eve of the game's huge update that'll make Sony's racer fully compatible with PSVR 2. Of course, this is a PlayStation exclusive racing series and has been since the dawn of the brand, but this preview has really got us thinking about Xbox, Forza, and what could come of a VR partnership between the two.
Xbox has yet to dip into the VR space properly, as we all know. This lack of movement is perhaps even more surprising when its fiercest competitor, Sony, has been involved in virtual reality for almost seven years at this point since the launch of PSVR. Gran Turismo 7 looks like it's going to be a real strong asset for the new PS5 headset launch, so should Xbox consider creating something similar?
The tech certainly makes more sense in 2023. Back with PSVR and Gran Turismo Sport, the headset could only muster up a bonus mode at much lower fidelity - it felt more like a gimmicky experience than a full game. Now though, GT7 will be fully playable in VR on PS5, and it's safe to assume Xbox Series X could handle a similar load with the new Forza Motorsport.
However, as we know, Xbox hasn't developed a VR headset yet and seems reluctant in building one, or forging any sort of partnership for a third-party variant on console. For PC though, things are a little different. There's still no first party option, but Microsoft has teamed up with other manufacturers, like Meta with its recent Quest 2 integration of Xbox Cloud Gaming, and the Air Link feature on the Meta Quest 2 would make for a perfect way to play Forza Motorsport in VR on PC - it's already being used for Microsoft Flight Simulator, for example.
The new Forza Motorsport will be coming day and date to PC, so there's an opportunity there for some sort of VR integration. Even if Microsoft seems unwilling to make that happen, which seems a likely outcome, modders could always get their hands on things and create their own version of 'Forza VR'.
In any case, do you think this is something Xbox should look at, in one way or another? Sure, console VR looks extremely unlikely with Xbox at this stage, but GT7 VR has really opened our eyes to what could be possible with the new Forza Motorsport and a good VR headset. For now, it's looking like PC mods would be the only way any such pairing could happen.
Would you like to see Turn 10's upcoming racer in VR? Vote in the poll and let us know!
Comments 23
Just use the meta’s quest 2 and pro. Or maybe let them dev a licences Xbox Series Q(uest)
This’d be cool and a good use of being able to use cloud gaming on the oculus quest.
If Xbox could allow linking with headsets already available, such as the Meta Quest 2, that would be lovely. Could see other games on Xbox become VR compatible if such happened. But for Forza in particular, it would be one of the best racing games available through VR.
Forza and Flight Sim are two games that would convince me to go VR. I would love it if Microsoft partnered with an existing VR but I think it would be financially silly for them to make their own. There are more important areas that Xbox needs to work on.
I don't want an Xbox proprietary headset. Either try to get compatibility with other headsets or avoid it. If psvr 2 was out of the box compatible with pc as well I would take it seriously. Knowing that it is locked to the ps5 and whatever their catalog will become makes the $550 a joke for at least the next few years, probably forever.
Vr makes racing games so much better. GT7 having the full experience in psvr2 is great news after how limited it was on psvr.
Unfortunately I won’t be playing it any time soon as there’s no way im buying a headset that costs more than the ps5 itself.
Ms really needs to get in on VR…place a bit more competition in the market and bring these prices down.
Said it before and I'll say it again.
I 100% get why MS doesn't want to risk another device sitting on shelves after Kinect 2. I get that but letting Sony be the only VR in the console space is just insane pertically after how well the Quest 2 has performed.
Allow the Series X to use any (or certain ones) inside out headset (like the Quest, Pico, etc) and let devs and publishers release VR games on the store. The risk to MS themselves is minimal, if it goes poorly then MS can laugh "we knew it was a risk" and if it goes well they can make their own VR premium headset.
I don't need MS to make VR games (though that would be cool), I just need them to let me play Vr games on Xbox.
Would love to see Microsoft make a VR game or two on ps5. Don’t think MS should invest in their own headset though. They’re already an organized mess atm, putting R&D on VR will make it worse.
VR takes up the majority of my gaming.
I'd absolutely drop everything to be able to air play my Quest 2 with my Xbox like I can my PC.
Miss me with that cabled stuff like the PSVR 2 uses. Cut the cable ages ago.
@darkswabber Why would they need their own headset. Enable the Quest 2 to work wirelessly on Xbox, as it already does on PC.
I don’t care about VR but Xbox should enter a partnership with either Valve (😎) or Facebook (🤮) to allow Xbox developers to include VR functionality to their games, and MS perhaps should also add such functionality to their releases (on PC and Xbox) were it makes sense.
No VR-exclusive games, though, please.
VR is awesome for an hour or so and then it's just a chore...it becomes really tiresome and each session ends up being shorter and shorter until eventually you realise you aren't ever using it.
It's a neat idea but standard TV gaming is where it's at for me. I'd much rather the effort that would be spent a decent VR experience be spent on polish and normal features everyone can benefit from.
@Somebody the original PSVR was made compatible with Steam VR by fans, within a few months I dare bet the same will be true for PSVR2.
Do agree Sony should just give it official support on PC.
I'm a big VR fan and would love to see it grow, so I'd definitely love for MS to support PC headsets and get VR going on the store. More content and competition and more importantly bigger market for the games can only be a good thing.
As-is, I've stopped caring much about Forza 8 and am all in on GT7 due to full VR!
Who cares about VR 🤷♂️🤷♂️
I'm somewhere between No and 'maybe' if they allow any 3rd Party headset for those 'fans' who really want it but as long as it doesn't 'impact' on the development of or experience of the standard 'console' experience the VAST majority will play and experience.
If they hire a team to take 'Turn10's' game into a VR experience to sell to VR customers, I couldn't care less or if they allow 'VR' games to work on Xbox through various on the market Headsets, fantastic for those that WANT it...
...but I couldn't care less about 'VR' gaming and have NO plans to play ANY game in VR so as long as I, and the games I enjoy playing are not 'impacted', I couldn't care less. Of course I'd rather they invested the money elsewhere, but if it pays dividends for them, it may benefit me too in the long run - bigger budgets being invested into bigger projects.
Lets be honest here, Sony has VR and let them keep it as another Unique Selling Point to offer 'Gamers' to 'Compete' against MS who still wants to grow CoD's active community to recuperate the $70bn anyway so CoD on Game Pass won't 'outweigh' VR and ALL Sony's Award Winning first party Studio's that people will buy a PS5 just to play....
@Bmartin001 About 35-45 million people based on 2020-2023 sales estimates?
The only problem I have is that MSFT isn’t delivering on current projects and this will add to an already full plate.
Absolutely not! VR is niche still for a reason, I have an immersive enough experience with my 55” TV thanks. And VR has been niche for decades now. I remember playing VR games in The Trocadero in London in the 90’s! Niche then still niche now.
Lets face it, hardware innovation is not xboxs strong point, and when they did try it with kinect, they got badly burnt. They have always wanted a world dominent subcription tv box service, creating and building smaller markets is not their style and I dont think it would work out for them. Besides, they need to regain focus and ensure the big investments they have made in devs start producing the goods, splitting their focus on another skew would not make sense.
VR isnt going to take off as Sony are just about to find out again with PSVR2 that will most likely sell less than the original PSVR
VR is great. I’ve got PSVR and Oculus Quest 2. Something that really surprised me thos was VR porn!!! That ***** is crazy!!! Just remember to lock the doors an close the curtains!!
I would l love to see VR on xbox. But i would rather they worked with an existing VR supplier to make the headset etc. So that PC headsets could be used. Xbox had a good sharing relationship with PCs and that should continue into VR.
I tried GT7 on PSVR2 at a friends over the weekend and it is, hands down, the most immersive VR implementation I have seen. I was using a racing seat and a force feedback wheel and there are times you almost forget you are in a game. It just feels so natural, rather than pressing buttons on a controller there is no translation of controls, it feels 1:1. The cockpit view seemed to prevent motion sickness too, which I was prone to in PSVR1 (enough to return it for a refund).
Honestly it blew my mind a little bit and made me realise in SOME, but not all, cases VR really could be the future. It really is THAT good.
However while I'd love to see this for FM, Forza Horizon, etc. the reality is VR is still niche and I still think the application of VR only really improves a few genres. Hence I don't think Xbox should create their own headset yet nor should the devs should spend the time making these modes.
But if they were to add these modes, rather than creating their own headset xbox should just create drivers to allow common headsets on XSX.
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