Microsoft demoed a new augmented-reality game prototype for its HoloLens AR headset at its Windows 10 devices event today.

Codenamed "Project X-Ray," the game has players using an arm-mounted holographic weapon to fight off robots flying around the player's real-life surroundings.

The demo showed robots interacting with furniture and architecture, and even bursting through walls.

Like the company's Minecraft demo at E3 2015, however, the demo was somewhat misleading, in that the actual viewable area for players is much smaller than the camera feed would suggest.

Microsoft also announced that a Development Edition of the headset will launch in Q1 2016, for the somewhat princely sum of US$3,000.

The first version of HoloLens to exist outside Microsoft's own testing environments, the Development Edition is intended to help developers create apps and feed back on design.

No retail announcement has been made, as should be expected at this stage.