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Phil Spencer: Xbox One X still supports virtual reality

The head of Microsoft's video game unit tells CNET the new console is VR-capable.

Claudia Cruz Reporter / CNET en Español
Claudia Cruz is a reporter for CNET en Español. Previously she served as the local editor and social media manager for Mountain View and Palo Alto, Patch.com. Prior to that, editor at El Correo de Queens and contributed as a staff reporter to The Queens Courier in New York City. She has a Masters degree from the City University of New York's (CUNY) Graduate School of Journalism in business and entrepreneurial journalism, and a Juris Doctor from The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law. Claudia's a native New Yorker, daughter of Dominican parents. She loves baseball, yoga and tasting the abundant microbrews in California.
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Xbox boss Phil Spencer on stage at E3.

 Josh Miller/CNET

The Xbox One X, Microsoft's new video game console announced Sunday at E3 , still supports virtual reality , said team head Phil Spencer. 

Spencer told CNET on Tuesday that the Xbox One X fully supports virtual reality and that their commitment to it hasn't changed. While Spencer didn't mention VR on stage during Xbox's Sunday presentation, he said he stands by what he said a year ago at the same event. When Microsoft teased the console at E3 last year, then known as Project Scorpio, it gave the impression that it would support virtual reality.

This comment refutes an early story from The Wall Street Journal that the console wouldn't support virtual reality. Curiously enough, Spencer said he hadn't yet seen the WSJ story.

What Spencer did tell GameSpot today is that he hadn't gotten a lot of requests for mixed reality games for the consoles , but that he'll continue focus on what users want, which leaves an opening for future mixed reality and VR games for the Xbox One X. 

The Xbox team has been pretty mum about the issue. Earlier CNET reported that Mike Ybarra, Microsoft's corporate vice president for Xbox and Windows, didn't deny or confirm whether the new Xbox would still support virtual reality. 

Also, in a statement to CNET, Xbox affirmed its commitment to "delivering great mixed reality gaming ," but said it believes the right place is the Windows PC.

For more on E3 2017, check out complete coverage on CNET and GameSpot.