Oculus could make its virtual reality headset, the Oculus Rift compatible with the Xbox One and PS4 , but it is worried about console lifecycles.
Encouraging other companies to create their own VR technology, Oculus isn’t averse to making the Oculus Rift work with the next-generation consoles but worries that the hardware within them will be soon outdated.
“Well, we love consoles. We play them a lot,” said Oculus CEO Brendan Iribe. “There’s no reason it can’t technically work, it’s just getting everybody involved. Right now we’re focused on the PC platform and Android.”
PCs are less restricted by their technical innards than the upcoming consoles, due to the fact they are a platform can be upgraded and modified.
“We’d like to see it eventually become compatible with consoles, but right now we’re mostly focused on the PC side – we’d love them to come up with something.”
Iribe said he is “excited” by the next-generation consoles, and can see Oculus Rift working with both. However, he heartily encourages other companies, including Microsoft and Sony, to make a start on their own VR or AR devices.
“We love what both the console guys are doing. I hope one or both of the console guys make VR headsets, or something similar, like an AR headset. The more that they push into this space, even if it’s a different device, or their own device, a different experience, the more that they’re throwing into AR and VR, the better it is for everybody.”
The fixed hardware on the Xbox One and PS4, combined with long console lifecycles would impose limitations on AR and VR technology that is bound to make huge advancements in quality and useability in a short space of time.
“I think that you will see VR move fast – AR also, but especially VR. You’re going to see rapid innovation, and one of the concerns that we do generally have around consoles is that their life cycles are getting longer all the time – it’s a seven to eight year lifecycle and in eight years, VR is going to be insane. Incredible.”
If Microsoft or Sony made their own devices, at least it wouldn’t force other companies to be restricted by the innards of the consoles.
Next, read: Forget Xbox One and PS4, all I want for Christmas is an Oculus Rift.
Via: OXM
