Can VR Be More Than Niche?
Written by: Bryce L. Jackson
VR isn’t a new concept in gaming, this is just the best it's ever been because the technology has caught up to the concept and allowed it to be great. (Anyone remember the Virtual Boy?) Over the 2017 holiday shopping season, I noticed that Sony had a serious campaign for PSVR. Between Playstation Experience, Paris Games Week, The Game Awards, and regular advertising, it seem that VR was everywhere. Also with the Vive dropping in price and Facebook’s acquisition of Oculus and the Rift, VR consoles are more visible. But will it be more than just niche?
VR has had a few barriers in the past. Lack of support, lack of games, entry price, poor technology, among others kept interest low. Such things no longer exist today. There are at least 3 PC or console VR setups now available as well as mobile phone/VR headsets that give a similar, but limited, experience. The catalog of games have also improved. Recognizable IPs are coming out with VR specific releases like Fallout, Resident Evil, and Doom. Original VR games have also improved. With Doom VFR, Resident Evil and fan favorite Job Simulator, the catalog has been the strongest its ever been with room to grow further. VR is not just used for gaming purposes. There are some NFL teams that use VR headsets for certain positional players, specifically Quarterbacks, military training, auto racing simulation, and other professional fields, are some of the additional uses of VR.
VR though has some things not related to the hardware and software that makes full integration difficult. VR needs for users to have able space in their homes needed to safely enjoy a VR experience. Medical experts also stress that prolonged use of VR systems could cause short term and long term issues to users’ eyes. Motion sickness is the biggest issue on the surface of VR which can cause users to experience headaches, eye strain, and in worst cases, nausea. Because the adoption rate is now better than ever, we also have no data on the longitudinal effects of prolonged VR use so children using the system and the next generation of gamers will have to be carefully managed to ward off adverse effects on developing eyes.
The marketing push for VR has subsided since the holiday season and since then, PSVR headsets had a considerable price cut. Combined that with cuts that the HTC Vive had toward the end of last year, edgelord gamers are really to claim that VR is dead (like all of the games that still have huge player counts but they have stopped playing.) However I don’t see it as such. Ready Player One, a movie about VR is a huge success and may make those who may have been riding the fence to finally take the plunge. With more gamers getting experience with the systems, companies will support them. Hopefully that will allow time for that signature title to be developed and further grow the VR fanbase.