The world of gaming got rocked earlier this when Facebook announced that it was acquiring Oculus VR for $2 billion. Prior to this bombshell, the race to bring virtual reality into homes received a new competitor from Sony’s PlayStation division. So, what about Microsoft? Weren’t there rumors recently suggesting the company was working on a VR doodad of its own?

Likely to stir the rumor pot, Microsoft recently acquired over 80 augmented reality patents from the Osterhout Design Group for around $100 -$150 million. If you’re not familiar with Osterhout Design, it’s smaller company that develops wearable computing devices for military and government organizations. Microsoft reportedly tried to buy Osterhout Design last year, but ended up settling for a chunk of its patent inventory.

Microsoft purchasing patents doesn’t guarantee that it’ll enter the virtual reality arena anytime soon, however it does add support to claims that it’s considering some type of VR contraption for the Xbox One.

[via TechCrunch]