p>First look at 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>Minecraft is already loved by millions of gamers around the globe. Now Microsoft has shown us what the world of Minecraft looks like in virtual reality.
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p>Microsoft purchased the block-building phenomenon in 2014 for $2.5bn (PS1.8bn) which was a huge deal that had fans of the game worried about its future.
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p>The US firm has promised not to harm its popular game and instead will invest in the development of Minecraft to the next level.
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p>In a special event held in San Francisco's fashionable Mission District, its Xbox division showed off the virtual real-world version of Minecraft for the first time.
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p>Palmer Luckey, creator and designer of the Oculus Rift VR headset said it makes you feel as if you're in Minecraft.
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p>As with many VR experiences, this one is completely captivating. For those who are enthralled by Minecraft's addictive building process it's a huge improvement over watching it on a regular screen.
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p>For a game that's popular with children, there's one figure that might worry parents: $1,500.
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p>That's the suggested amount they'll need in order to purchase an Oculus Rift headset as well as a computer that is powerful enough to provide the power.
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p>It's certainly too expensive and I suggested it to Mr Luckey.
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p>He replied, "It isn∏t."
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p>It's expensive, but it offers many more features than a television or mobile phone. https://wickedfrise.com/ </p>
p>"It's not as if this is a simple piece of hardware and the price is likely to fall over time."
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p>If it is to be accepted by mainstream audiences it must be slowed down quickly.
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p>I predict a minor revival of the games arcade. This is a place where people can go to play high-end video games that they are unable to afford for themselves.
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p>Big titles
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p>Oculus Minecraft was one of many games showcased at Xbox Spring Showcase. This allowed journalists (and a few YouTube stars) the opportunity to play some of the blockbusters of the future.
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p>Quantum Break was a fascinating world that caused me to lose an hour. It's a video game in which you take on the role of Jack Joyce, an unwilling action hero who gains the ability to alter time after an experiment gone wrong.
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p>If that sounds like yet another scenario that is predictable for an online game, you're right - but the title's mechanics (think "bullet time" but with a twist) create something unique.
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p>Also look out for Tom Clancy's The Division - set in a painstakingly true-to-life Manhattan.
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p>Many of the titles on show were also promoted as games that are great to play on PCs, thanks to Microsoft's Windows 10 operating system.
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p>"If you look at the numbers, PC gaming has the fastest-growing segment of gaming," stated Phil Spencer, director 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>When it comes to virtual reality, Microsoft has opted not to make its own headset - though it is working on the Augmented Reality-focused Hololens - but is instead trying 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 same path set by high definition TVs. It's a costly item at first, but it becomes hard to resist once you have had the experience.
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p>He said, "The early adopters of VR will be there to spur the industry."
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p>In light of the fact that Sony's PlayStation? 4 will soon get its own VR headset, I wondered if Microsoft might consider creating its own VR headset.
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p>"I definitely think it could be something that is part of our roadmap," he said. He also said that Windows 10 was now fully compatible with VR titles however, 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 are able to connect online to play them. This has been a problem.
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p>Low reliability on Xbox Live, the online gaming platform used by Xbox gamers, has caused thousands of problems.
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p>Disgruntled fans include rapper Snoop Dogg, who - in a video that's too vulgar to link to here - begged Bill Gates to fix the problem or he'd defect to PlayStation?.
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p>Mr. Spencer apologized for the issue.
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p>"It's obviously always regretful," he said.
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p>"This last outage was a worry that we learned from. It took us a bit longer to comprehend the issue, but it was clear.
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p>He denied that the company was a victim of hacking and said that even though its network was constantly under attack, it wasn't, as was claimed destroyed as a result of a coordinated effort for gamers to be shut off.
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p>Snoop Dogg is at risk of being lost: "Snoop has been a long-time Xbox gamer and fan for quite a long time.
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p>"I am able to understand when people get unhappy. 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 underwater data centre
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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 on sale for $599
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p>7 January 2016
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p>Microsoft Xbox
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