Hitman 3 VR coming to Game Pass - lacks support for Reverb G2?
UPDATEHitman developer IOI has meanwhile rowed back. An addition on the support page explains that playing with the HP Reverb G2 is possible after all - but not yet ideally optimized: "We have tested Hitman VR specifically with the HP Reverb G2 and although the experience is not optimal, the full game is fully playable. As we add optimizations to the game, we'll update this page if our list of supported hardware changes."
The Year 2 update for Hitman 3 (VR) is live: Game Pass subscribers will be happy, but Reverb G2 users will be left out in the cold.
Hitman 3 was one of the most impressive titles with VR support on Playstation VR. If you want to get a taste of the freshly released Year 2 update with PCVR support on PC, Game Pass could be the solution. Hitman Trilogy is currently available in Microsoft's gaming subscription.
Developer IOI announced that all PC versions of Hitman 3 will get an update for the new virtual reality mode - no matter which download store. "The game enables VR, not the platform," the studio said. The Windows version is available on Steam, the Microsoft Store and the Epic Games Store. The only important thing, it said, is that "HITMAN 3 Free Starter Pack" and the "HITMAN 3 - Demo" do not support virtual reality.
After the January 20 patch 3.100, the complete trilogy of the action-adventure Hitman works in VR and enables delicate assassination with motion controllers. If you have access to Hitman 1, 2, or 3 (Standard, Deluxe, or Trilogy), all adventures can be played in VR.
Hitman 3: No support for HP Reverb G2?
There is disappointing news for owners of the VR glasses HP Reverb G2, however. The headset for the Windows Mixed Reality platform (WMR) is explicitly not supported according to the system requirements. All other common headsets can be used, including the Valve Index, various HTC models, and the Meta Quest (2) connected to the PC via Oculus Link.
At least a GeForce RTX 2060 Super or an AMD 5700XT is recommended for smooth 90 frames per second. However, this only applies to low settings and for low-resolution "lower-end headsets". At least an Intel i7-8700 or an AMD Ryzen 7 2700 is required as a processor.
On Playstation VR, the game could only partially fulfill expectations, as our PSVR review of Hitman 3 shows: dealing with the DualShock controller is a burden and the bad tracking wears on the nerves. We are all the more curious to see how the freer VR controls are implemented in the PC version. A PC update for the review is already in the works.
VR games for the Game Pass
While Game Pass users can already play Hitman VR, Microsoft also wants to strengthen its future gaming portfolio. The strategy recently showed up in Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard - also for a possible Metaverse future.
"Gaming is the most dynamic and exciting entertainment category across all platforms and will play a key role in the development of Metaverse platforms," Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said, even promising "a new era of gaming."
However, whether Microsoft will pay more attention to VR in the future as part of the Metaverse trend is rather questionable. While Meta is snatching away the XR specialists from the Redmonters, Microsoft is rather trying to strengthen its very own Metaverse idea via the expansion of Game Pass: easy access to all the group's entertainment offerings on almost all screens and with the lowest possible access barriers.
More about VR Games:
- Microsoft buys Activision Blizzard - gaming and metaverse expansion
- New VR studio Elevation promises AAA games
- In Ubisoft’s new VR game you save the burning Notre Dame
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