Xbox One game streaming finally arrives on Oculus Rift

Wish you could play your collection of Xbox One games on your Oculus Rift? Guess what - you finally can.

Eighteen months after it was first announced, the newly released Xbox One Streaming app for Rift lets you transport titles from console to VR headset. All you have to do is make sure your Xbox One and Windows 10 PC are on the same network, and you're good to game.

With the app, you can choose from three virtual theaters in which to play. Your Xbox games are thrown up on a giant screen, and you can fiddle with the screen's position and shape to meet your preferences.

One of the best parts of all this is backwards compatibility support for Xbox 360 titles: Any 360 game you can play on Xbox One is welcome in Rift's virtual world.

According to Microsoft, you have the exact same experience in VR as you do on Xbox, meaning the same commands will take you home, bring up the guide, let you invite friends and more. 

PlayStation VR has a similar trick with its cinema mode, which not only works with PS4 games but also supports just about anything with HDMI video output, including Xbox and PC.

Though not a mind-blowing feature - we're not talking fully immersive VR games here - the Xbox One Streaming app is a decent perk for those who own both the console and Oculus Rift. 

For starters, you'll no longer have to pick between the two systems, and you'll get even more mileage out of your already pricey headset. Plus, there's some novel fun to be had playing Xbox 360 games in VR. As the Xbox One Streaming app is free, what's not to like?

Michelle Fitzsimmons

Michelle was previously a news editor at TechRadar, leading consumer tech news and reviews. Michelle is now a Content Strategist at Facebook.  A versatile, highly effective content writer and skilled editor with a keen eye for detail, Michelle is a collaborative problem solver and covered everything from smartwatches and microprocessors to VR and self-driving cars.