p>First glimpse of virtual reality Minecraft at Xbox showcase Dave Lee North America technology reporter
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p>1 March 2016
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p>Millions of gamers love Minecraft. Microsoft now shows us how virtual reality can be developed.
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p>Microsoft bought the block-building game in 2014 for $2.5bn (PS1.8bn) This was an enormous sum that left players worried about its future.
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p>The US firm said that it would not ruin its well-known formula, but instead invest in Minecraft.
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p>At an event in San Francisco's trendy Mission District, its Xbox division showcased the virtual reality version of Minecraft for the first time.
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p>Palmer Luckey, creator and designer of Oculus Rift VR headset said that it makes you feel like you're in Minecraft.
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p>Like other VR experiences, it's utterly engaging. For those who are enthralled by Minecraft's addictive building process, it's a significant improvement over watching it on a normal screen.
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p>But for a game popular with children, there's a figure that parents might be concerned about that is $1,500.
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p>That's the suggested amount they'll need to spend in order to purchase an Oculus Rift headset, as well as a computer that is powerful enough to power it.
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p>It's certainly too expensive, I suggested to Mr. Luckey.
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p>"It isn't," he said.
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p>It's costly, but it offers a lot more technology than a mobile phone.
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p>"It's not as straightforward hardware, and the price is going down in the coming years."
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p>It'll have to be slowed down pretty sharp-ish for it to be accepted by the mass media in the near future.
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p>I predict a minor revival of the arcade games. It is a place where people can play video games of the highest quality that they can't afford to buy for themselves.
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p>Big titles
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p>Oculus Minecraft was one of many games on display at Xbox Spring Showcase. https://canvas.instructure.com/eportfolios/1582357/Home/Binary_Adding_Machine This allowed journalists (and some YouTube stars) the chance to play some of the blockbusters of the future.
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p>Quantum Break was a fascinating world that has me shivering for an hour. It's a video game in which you play Jack Joyce, an unwilling action hero who gains the ability to manipulate time following an experiment gone awry.
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p>If that sounds like yet another predictable scenario for an online game, you're right. But the game's mechanics (think "bullet time" and only better) create something unique.
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p>Also, be sure to check out Tom Clancy's The Division - set in a painstakingly true-to-life Manhattan.
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p>A lot of the titles that were included on the show were also promoted as great to use on a PC via Microsoft's Windows 10 operating systems.
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p>"If you look at numbers, PC gaming has the fastest-growing segment of gaming," stated Phil Spencer the head of Xbox.
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p>"It's normal that we'd concentrate on gaming on Windows."
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p>Virtual plans
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p>In the realm of virtual reality, Microsoft has opted not to create its own headset, even though it is working on the augmented reality-focused Hololens however, it is working to make it compatible with the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive.
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p>On the subject of price, Spencer stated that he believes virtual reality will follow the model set by high definition TVs. It's a high-end product at first, but it becomes hard to resist once you have had the experience.
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p>"The early adopters will be there to propel the VR industry," he said.
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p>Given the fact that Sony's PlayStation? 4 will soon get its own VR headset I asked if Microsoft might also consider making its own VR headset.
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p>He said, "I believe it could be something on our roadmap." He also said that Windows 10 was now fully compatible with VR titles, but he did not mention this.
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p>'Not hacked'
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p>Of course, the newest games aren't worth anything unless players can get online to play them. As of late it's been quite a challenge.
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p>Low reliability on Xbox Live, the online gaming platform used by Xbox gamers, has led to thousands of issues.
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p>Snoop Dogg is one of the fans who are unhappy with their service. He demanded Bill Gates to fix the problem, or he would defect to PlayStation?.
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p>Mr Spencer apologised for the issues.
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p>He added, "It's evidently always regretful."
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p>"This last outage was a worry, we learned from it. We were able to pinpoint exactly what was causing the issue but it took a little more time that we would have liked."
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p>He denied that the company had been the victim of a cyberattack, saying that while its network was under constant attack, it was not like it was claimed, felled by a coordinated effort to cut gamers off.
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p>Snoop Dogg is at risk of losing his identity: "Snoop has been a long-time Xbox gamer and supporter for a long time.
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p>"I understand when people get angry. It's a sign that people are passionate and committed to the work we do as a game platform.
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p>Follow Dave Lee on Twitter @DaveLeeBBC and on Facebook
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p>Orangutans try gaming in Australian zoo
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p>15 February 2016
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p>Microsoft tests an underwater data center
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p>2 February 2016
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p>VR gaming What do we know about VR gaming so far?
/p>
p>Oculus VR headset for sale at $599
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p>7 January 2016
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p>Microsoft Xbox
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