Phil Spencer Explains Cloud Calculations in an E3 Demo & Project Morpheus Response From Microsoft

Microsoft’s Phil Spencer talked up a big game at an E3 2014 interview with Engadget a couple of days ago where he revealed that the upcoming title from Dave Jones, Crackdown, is set to use elements of cloud computing courtesy of the Xbox One.

Much like how Titanfall on the Xbox One uses cloud computing to compute the decisions made by its AI non-player characters and dedicated servers, Crackdown is set to use the system to compute explosions. 

“With Crackdown we’re actually using the destruction calculations in the cloud,” he said. “And then locally what you see is that you actually see the rendering of where the different particles where things are landing on the ground… we kind of ended our video with this huge massive explosion.” 

Spencer also had a few things to say about challenging Sony’s Project Morpheus. He said that Microsoft doesn’t see VR as a mainstream consumer space—the way Sony might—and that they’re waiting to see how things evolve within the space before they decide to do anything about it. 

So if you were hoping for Microsoft to trot out its own version of a VR headset, it’ll definitely be awhile yet.