Microsoft Could be Working on its Own VR Device

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Microsoft has filed a new patent that could be related to a potential future VR headset. While the company has been embroiled in the ongoing Activision Blizzard acquisition that saw the Microsoft president criticize the CMA for blocking the deal, there seems to be plenty of other things going on behind the scenes even though the Activision Blizzard deal appears to be taking up a lot of time and effort.

As of writing, PlayStation is the only home console that boasts VR compatibility through the PS VR2. Even Nintendo has dabbled with VR, albeit on a much smaller scale with one of its Labo kits that included a buildable enclosure for the Switch that was held to the player's face. Unfortunately, Nintendo's Labo didn't really catch on with players. Even Sony's PS VR2 has not met the company's expectations in terms of sales. Microsoft has not shown much interest in VR, and it could be said that the space is dominated by the likes of Sony, Meta, and Valve.

A new patent from Microsoft for an enhanced eye tracking system could potentially be used as part of a future VR headset. The patent describes a system that is self-calibrating and also accommodating of deformations or other changes to the device. While this patent might not look much like a VR headset, a solid eye tracking system that can self-calibrate and compensate for deformations could form part of an intuitive and user-friendly VR system. The patent could simply be an improvement to Microsoft Hololens which is an Augmented Reality technology used by the US Army, among others.

Microsoft seems to be doing their utmost to keep the Xbox gaming platform as relevant and competitive as possible. An Xbox-branded VR headset might still be a long way off, but it is likely that Microsoft will want to be competitive in the VR space as it gains traction in the mainstream gaming market. Microsoft has also recently experimented with a handheld mode that would allow Windows to be used more comfortably on devices like the Steam Deck, however this was reportedly a prototype that "didn't go much of anywhere," according to the developer behind it.

Patents don't always materialize into consumer products, but the enhanced eye tracking system seems like a sensible piece of technology that has a better chance of making it into consumer products than some of the more esoteric patents that get filed from time to time. Recently, Sony threw shade at Microsoft in one of its patents by referring to different home entertainment systems from "inferior manufacturers," evidencing a poor relationship between the companies.