Considering that VR is all the craze these days, it was only natural that Microsoft also have a bite of the pie. Although the world is aware of the company’s foray into the realm of VR and AR, Microsoft has now, just like Oculus and HTC Vive, come up with their own VR controllers.
Microsoft is looking to providing a device that is easy to set up and to use. The controllers will be sold along with the many VR headsets on offer by the company. The cheapest bundle one will be able to snag will be Acer’s low-cost entry-level headset, which will be packed with the controllers at the price of $399. Since VR is still pretty nascent, Microsoft had to have referred to the current industry standard to build their own version, and that is why the company’s controllers bear a strong resemblance to Oculus’ and HTC Vive’s.
The controllers were unveiled at BUILD 2017 today with developers soon receiving the VR/AR kit. Considering that the controllers will be an optional add on to the headsets only, this will allow for gamers to have a more personal interaction with the games they are playing. There will also be no need for extra markers on the wall or separate hardware for the controllers to function. Instead, all of the work of mapping the controllers will be taken care of by the headset. This means that users will be able to dive into VR and AR without having to set up a separate room. Considering that Windows is planning on providing developers with better access to the mixed reality spectrum, it will be the only VR controller that does not a separate digital room to work.
According to reports, the controllers will be having their own tracking sensors and will at least work on a resolution of 1,440×1,440 resolution. While prospective buyers will be able to pre-order the headset online, they will get their controllers delivered to them later in the summer. Microsoft is also releasing its development kits to developers, with them about to receive their Acer kits any time now. Microsoft has not released an official date for the release of the controllers, but will probably be busy creating apps and games on VR Store which should receive a lot of attention once the controllers are finally unveiled.
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