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>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 at $2.5bn (PS1.8bn) which was a huge deal that left many players of the game anxious about its future.
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p>The US firm claimed that it would not harm its popular formula and instead invest in Minecraft.
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p>The Xbox division launched the first virtual reality version of Minecraft at a San Francisco event. https://contestalert.in/members/earthexpert39/activity/20934/ </p>
p>"It makes it feel like you're in the world of Minecraft," said Palmer Luckey who is the creator of the Oculus Rift VR headset.
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p>Like other VR experiences, it's utterly absorbing. It is a great way to experience Minecraft's thrilling construction process on a virtual screen.
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p>However, for a game that is loved by children, there's one figure that parents might be concerned about that is $1,500.
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p>This is the recommended amount to purchase an Oculus headset and a powerful computer to power it.
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p>It's surely too expensive So I suggested it to Mr. Luckey.
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p>"It isn't," he said.
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p>It is expensive, but it offers a lot more technology than a mobile phone.
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p>"It's not as simple hardware and the price is decreasing as time passes." http://b3.zcubes.com/v.aspx?mid=9146141 </p>
p>If it is to be accepted by the masses it will have to come down very quickly.
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p>Until then, I'd predict that there will be a slight revival of the games arcade that is a place where players go to play games of a high-end quality that aren't affordable to purchase for their homes.
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p>Big titles
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p>Oculus Minecraft was just one of many games showcased at the Xbox Spring Showcase. This allowed journalists (and a few YouTube stars) the opportunity to play some of tomorrow's blockbusters.
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p>I was able to lose an hour in the thrilling world of Quantum Break. It's a game in which you play as Jack Joyce, an unwilling action hero who develops the ability to alter time following an experiment gone awry.
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p>It may sound like a similar game However, the game's mechanics make it 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>A number of the titles featured on the show were also promoted as great to play on PC, via Microsoft's Windows 10 operating system.
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p>"If you look at the figures, PC gaming is the fastest-growing gaming segment out there," said head of Xbox Phil Spencer.
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p>"It's only natural that we would concentrate on gaming on Windows."
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p>Virtual plans
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p>Microsoft has decided not to create its own headset for virtual reality. However, it is still developing the Hololens-specific Hololens. Instead it is working to make it compatible with the Oculus Rift or HTC Vive.
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p>In the debate over price, Spencer stated that he believes that virtual reality will follow the same path set by high definition TVs. It is a luxury item initially, but it becomes hard to resist once you've had the experience.
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p>He said, "The early adopters of VR will be there to boost the industry."
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p>Given the fact that Sony's PlayStation? 4 will soon get its own VR headset, I asked whether Microsoft might also consider making its own gear.
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p>He added, "I believe it could be something that's part of our roadmap." He also said that Windows 10 was now fully compatible with VR games however, he did not mention this.
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p>'Not hacked'
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p>The new games aren't worth anything in the absence of players who can play them online. And of late it's been quite a challenge.
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p>The poor reliability of Xbox Live - the service Xbox gamers use to play against each other over the internet has strained out thousands of players.
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p>The most disgruntled fans are rapper Snoop Dogg, who - in a video too profane to include here demanded Bill Gates to fix the issue or he'd switch to PlayStation?.
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p>Mr Spencer apologized for the problems.
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p>He said, "It's evidently always regretful."
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p>"This outage was a cause for concern. We learned from it. It took us a little longer to understand the issue however, it was apparent.
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p>He denied that the company was the victim of a cyberattack, saying that while its network was constantly under attack, it was not, as had been claimed, destroyed by an organized effort to cut gamers off.
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p>Snoop Dogg is at risk of becoming lost: "Snoop has been a long-time Xbox gamer and supporter for many years.
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p>"I am able to understand when people are upset. I see it as an indication of the love and commitment people have for what we are 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
/p>
p>2 February 2016
/p>
p>VR gaming: What do we have 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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