Gaming on the Samsung Gear VR just got a lot better, as Microsoft has announced that the new Xbox One controller now works with the VR headset.
Starting with support for Minecraft: Gear VR Edition, Microsoft is working to roll out compatibility with all current controller-based VR games and ones that are coming to the platform later on.
Unlike the first iteration of the Xbox One controller, the recently released version offers Bluetooth connectivity, which allows it to connect it to Gear VR-compatible smartphones, like the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 and Samsung Galaxy S7, among other recent devices from the Korean firm.
It's a real display of commitment to Oculus on Microsoft's part (and possibly a hint toward the future) that it is giving Samsung phones this sort of support before its own suffering line of Windows 10 Mobile smartphones. Will we see deeper Oculus Rift integration in Project Scorpio? Moves like these make it seem more and more likely.
All you need to do to get started is update the controller's firmware by using an Xbox One or a PC that has Windows 10 and is fully up to date. Once you've done that, the Xbox One controller will show up in your phone's Bluetooth menu.
We'll be testing this out shortly to see how well it works, and to see if it's possible to make it work on other non-Samsung smartphones, too.
