MCV/DEVELOP News, events, research and jobs from the games industry
Microsoft is bringing Halo to its Windows Mixed Reality platform. Developed by 343 Industries, the game will be one of the first pieces of content available for Windows mixed reality, and will be released as a full consumer product.
In a blog post, Microsoft’s technical fellow and Kinect creator Alex Kipman said: "We are working with an incredible set of partners to bring the most immersive experiences to the Windows Store. First, we are excited to announce the first wave of content partners coming to Windows Mixed Reality.
"Second, it’s my pleasure to let you know that we are working with343 Industriesto bring future Halo experiences into mixed reality. We are not providing specifics right now, but it is going to be a lot of fun to work with them."
That’s not to say we won’t see another FPS Halo title before that, however, as it’s also been confirmed that the first Halo mixed reality experience will be separate to the series’ flagship shooter titles. Speaking to Venturebeat, aspokesperson saidthe majority of the 343 team is currently working on the "next great Halo FPS experience" but "it’s going to be a while until we’re ready to talk more about that."
Kipman also said that Steam will run on its Windows Mixed Reality headsets, giving consumers more choice about where they get their content from.
Microsoft’s mixed reality venture is an attempt to "democratize virtual reality" and make it available to everyone. Hololens is just one of the headsets that belong to this group, but Microsoft is also partnering with hardware manufacturers including HP, Lenovo, Dell and Acer to release headset and motion controller bundles for as little as $399 starting this holiday season. "Along with our partners, we are committed to making mixed reality affordable," Kipman wrote.
All Windows Mixed Reality headsets will come with built-in sensors that track your location, too, minimising the time spent setting them up. Mixed reality PCs will also be available, allowing headsets to run at 60fps, or 90fps if you opt for one of its Windows Mixed Reality Ultra PCs.
"Mixed Reality is the future, and we want everyone on the journey with us," said Kipman. "For customers, we are creating the best, most affordable mixed reality headsets and bringing you immersive experiences that you will love. For developers, we are making it easy to create great content spanning from simple augmented reality to virtual reality and of course holograms."
