There’s a rumor floating around right now that Nvidia is going to reveal its own VR headset at GDC. VRFocus is reporting this will happen during the company’s teased “Made to Game” event happening next Tuesday, March 3rd.
While I don’t know how rock-solid VRFocus’ source is, I have been speculating that Nvidia would announce its own VR headset prior to this supposed leak. Allow me to walk you through my logic.
If you’ve been listening to our No BS podcasts—episode #229 in particular—you might recall that we got Nvidia’s Distinguished Engineer Tom Petersen and Senior Director of Engineering Rev Lebaradian into the recording room. When I asked them what they thought of VR way back in this July 2014 recording, this is how the two gentlemen responded:
“I love VR,” stated Petersen, adding, “I think it’s going to be great. It’s got some real challenges though, let’s be honest. VR today, even though Oculus is doing great things and is a great partner of ours, I think that VR in the future could be very, very good. The biggest challenge in VR is [figuring out] how do you couple the graphics subsystem to the sensor subsystem and the display; and you know the people who are best positioned to make that great and are willing to invest? That’s us.”
We then expressed that we’d love to see a wireless solution, but that we understood it was difficult with the added latency. To which Petersen responded, “Think about GRID, think about [Nvidia] GameStream. What are we working on? Latency.” Nvidia’s Senior Director of Engineering Rev Lebaradian added, “with GSync, we’re working on displays.” Petersen then added, “I don’t want to talk too much about it other than to say it’s another one of those crazy technologies for gamers that’s right in the middle of our wheelhouse. It’s the kind of the stuff that we get excited about.” Lebaradian chimed in and said, “So we’re definitely invested in it, if that’s the question.” Petersen echoed those sentiments and added, “We’ve been investing in it and we’re going to do so… we are not a follower, and anything that’s new and innovative, we want to be there.”
Could this one-on-one invitation be a glimpse at Nvidia’s VR headset? All the clues seem to be pointing that way.
Could I be wrong? Stranger things have happened.
While I don’t know how rock-solid VRFocus’ source is, I have been speculating that Nvidia would announce its own VR headset prior to this supposed leak. Allow me to walk you through my logic.
It will "redefine the future of gaming," you say?
In Nvidia’s “Made to Game” invitation teaser (seen above),
details are pretty scarce, but we do have this line from Nvidia’s CEO
Jen-Hsun Huang that reads, “More than 5 years in the making, what I want
to share with you will redefine the future of gaming.” That already has
a very VR vibe to it, but isn’t really substantial enough evidence to
be worth reporting on, so let’s move along.If you’ve been listening to our No BS podcasts—episode #229 in particular—you might recall that we got Nvidia’s Distinguished Engineer Tom Petersen and Senior Director of Engineering Rev Lebaradian into the recording room. When I asked them what they thought of VR way back in this July 2014 recording, this is how the two gentlemen responded:
“I love VR,” stated Petersen, adding, “I think it’s going to be great. It’s got some real challenges though, let’s be honest. VR today, even though Oculus is doing great things and is a great partner of ours, I think that VR in the future could be very, very good. The biggest challenge in VR is [figuring out] how do you couple the graphics subsystem to the sensor subsystem and the display; and you know the people who are best positioned to make that great and are willing to invest? That’s us.”
We then expressed that we’d love to see a wireless solution, but that we understood it was difficult with the added latency. To which Petersen responded, “Think about GRID, think about [Nvidia] GameStream. What are we working on? Latency.” Nvidia’s Senior Director of Engineering Rev Lebaradian added, “with GSync, we’re working on displays.” Petersen then added, “I don’t want to talk too much about it other than to say it’s another one of those crazy technologies for gamers that’s right in the middle of our wheelhouse. It’s the kind of the stuff that we get excited about.” Lebaradian chimed in and said, “So we’re definitely invested in it, if that’s the question.” Petersen echoed those sentiments and added, “We’ve been investing in it and we’re going to do so… we are not a follower, and anything that’s new and innovative, we want to be there.”
VR talk begins at 1:37:18.
Did I mention that Nvidia is hosting a panel titled “How Nvidia Technology Is Improving the VR Experience”
on March 4th... the day after its “Made to Game” event? It's also worth
pointing out that the description for this panel says it will go over
methods to "improve the gaming experience on the Oculus Rift and other VR headsets."
Nvidia has plenty of experience with stereoscopic 3D.
Finally, Nvidia sent us an email today stating, “In addition
to the event we have planned for Tuesday, March 3, we’ll have a booth
presence at GDC in the Moscone Center, South Hall, Booth #1016 where
we’ll be demonstrating a glimpse into the future of gaming.”Could this one-on-one invitation be a glimpse at Nvidia’s VR headset? All the clues seem to be pointing that way.
Could I be wrong? Stranger things have happened.