Microsoft’s new motion controllers for its Windows 10 VR headsets remain something of a mystery to us on the account of not having gone hands-on with them, but they’re finally starting to arrive at the doorsteps of developers.
VR developer Sean Ong just got a pair of the next devices sent to him a few weeks after also getting his hands on Acer’s Windows headset. Together with Nima Zeighami, he unboxes the controllers in the video below. It’s our best look at the actual design of the products yet, and both give impressions of how they feel to hold. Sadly there isn’t a video of the pair actually trying them out in VR yet, but they’re both pretty positive about the design.
The controllers are quite similar to both the Oculus Touch and Vive wands, offering six degrees of freedom (6DOF) positional tracking. Somewhat amusingly, the design includes both an analog stick and a touchpad. Both are clickable, too. The main difference is that these are tracked using sensors fitted to the headset itself, and not the external ones as seen on Rift and Vive. We’re eager to see if they provide the same quality experience with this different in tracking.
It’s important to point out that these controllers are simply reference designs, and not devices consumers will get their hands on. To that end, we know Acer is making a pair that will be available in a bundle with its consumer headset when it goes on sale later this year. We’re looking forward to seeing which other devices might get their own set.
