If you are not familiar with the Gear VR, it is a mobile virtual reality headset that was released in November of last year, and it is made for those who cannot afford an Oculus Rift or HTC Vive. I won't bother explaining what Minecraft is, as the sandbox strategy game of 1 x 1 block building has definitely changed the world of digital building, particularly for the younger generation. It just makes sense to combine VR with Minecraft, and it is now available for the Gear VR to the delight of many Minecraft fans that want to build in a new way.
According to Ubergizmo, those that own the Gear VR and a compatible Samsung phone can play Mojang and Microsoft's Minecraft, releasing to the Gear VR before it arrives on the Oculus Rift. The list of Samsung smartphones compatible with the Gear VR include the Galaxy S7, the Galaxy S7 Edge, Galaxy Note 5, Galaxy S6, and Galaxy S6 Edge.
The Oculus Rift Virtual Reality headset was just released recently, and it requires a very high-powered computer to pair with it in order for it to work. It is going to be expensive for the user, and the Gear VR is a low-cost alternative as it has an introductory price of $99.99.
Minecraft for the Gear VR can be purchased at the Oculus Store as a separate version for the mobile VR headset for the exact same price ($6.99). This Minecraft has all the features of the Pocket Edition, and has cross-platform play with regular Pocket and Windows 10 editions.
For those that want to play the game, there is a warning. You know how some people get headaches when watching a 3D movie? The same thing can happen when playing too much VR. Also, it is possible to get some serious motion sickness, so it is advised to take breaks while playing Minecraft in Virtual Reality. Gear VR plus Minecraft also has the risks of hitting objects that you might not be able to see while the Gear VR is pressed up against your face.
However, it might be difficult for Minecraft fans to take a break as the game has taken a form that really gives first person views something to talk about. Most players of Minecraft play so they can see exactly what their Minecraft player character can see, so they are quite excited to literally take on this role in VR. I would imagine that the prospect of laying a block and then destroying it is going to feel a lot realistic, as well as looking around to see what kind of biome world the player is in. Hopefully, the controls will feel natural for the user.
If you had a chance to try out Minecraft on the Gear VR, leave a comment and tell us about the experience, and let us know if it is worth it or not.
