Microsoft is doubling down on its mixed reality efforts, introducing a new set of VR-friendly motion controllers.
Augmented reality and virtual reality are great, but the immersion only really starts to ramp up once you begin to add interaction. That’s partly why a controller-led experience like the HTC Vive is more compelling that your bog standard Google Cardboard or Samsung Gear VR.
Microsoft understands this, and has decided to launch a pair of controllers that have their motion tracked by sensors built into the Windows Mixed Reality VR headset. This is in contrast to having them tracked by external sensors that you might place around a room.
Check out the launch video below:
As you can see, the controllers look very similar to what we’ve already seen from the HTC Vive and Facebook’s Oculus Rift. There are touch panels, physical buttons, and tracking LEDs – all the hallmarks of a VR controller.
So when can you get one? Well Microsoft says that its hardware partners will be ready to ship both the headsets and controllers by the time the Fall Creators Update lands in September.
Microsoft has already confirmed Acer as a hardware partner. Acer will be selling the headset for $300 as a standalone item, or a headset/controller bundle for $400. That gives some indication of how much a controller might cost on its own.
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What do you think of Microsoft’s new mixed reality controllers? Let us know in the comments.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
