It’s the tech of the future.
Capable of creating immersive, visceral video game experiences
unlike anything you’ve ever felt.
And It looks awkward…
And nauseating...
And expensive
And wait a minute...
I am not doing a very good job here.
All I’m trying to say is that after years of hype and promise,
And one really bad movie,
VR is finally worth it.
And I've got three reasons why:
The first being the biggest change:
access!
Right off the bat, VR had a huge problem: you needed a really powerful PC,
a big, open space
and a pricey headset.
And maybe some special controllers and sensor pylons too.
Already, that excludes most console owners...
... people who live in small houses or apartments ...
... and people who don’t have like, $2,000 lying around.
All of this started to change a couple years ago with the release of the Playstation VR,
which opened up VR to millions of PlayStation owners.
Granted, it doesn’t quite match the specs of PC-based VR headsets.
But it does have great games,
it’s easier to fit in small homes,
and most importantly, the price of entry is much lower.
Originally sold in a $500 bundle, a PSVR set today costs only $350.
And a PS4 costs a whole lot less than a gaming PC.
But even VR gaming on a PC isn’t as expensive as it used to be.
The headsets and graphics cards are cheaper, and software improvements have lowered the
Oculus Rift’s minimum hardware requirements.
And on top of that, we’re getting standalone VR headsets.
The Oculus Go and Google Daydream don’t tether you to a box.
All they need is a smartphone.
While they can’t play many of the biggest VR games...
they do something incredibly important:
they let more people experience VR.
VR is like watching a cooking show:
you can imagine how good the food is ...
But until you actually eat it, you don’t really know what it tastes like.
Case in point: all the shaky VR footage you’ve seen might lead you to believe that VR itself
is a nauseating mess.
But the moment you put on a headset, it all clicks.
I'm a space pilot!
And it will click for more people the cheaper and more widespread it is.
The reasonable price of the Oculus Go and PSVR is probably why they were the best selling
VR headsets in 2018.
Each selling over a million units.
All these different VR options for VR make it easier to find the headset that works for you:
what fits your budget, fits your hardware, or even just fits in your house.
Those options are only going to grow.
Both Oculus and HTC have announced what they’re working on next, and they’re promising to
make VR even more accessible.
Vive is bringing eye-tracking tech to its headsets, which could make interacting with
menus and UI possible without a controller.
The upcoming Vive Cosmos gets rid of the sensor pylons, and HTC hinted that this PC-quality
headset may one day run on a smartphone.
And then,, there’s the Oculus Quest.
It’s a completely standalone headset: no PC, console or even smartphone required.
It’s got two motion-tracking controllers.
Built-in cameras so it can track head movement without any sensor pylons.
And it’s going to cost about as much a home console.
Look, I’ve only read the specs; I haven’t tried an Oculus Quest myself.
But the idea of a motion-tracking, battery-powered standalone headset
is the holy grail of VR gaming.
Once someone makes this divine headset of prophecy, the barriers to VR gaming will crumble.
So if we’re on the precipice of Ready Player One’s VR wonderland,
is it worth getting VR now?
YES!
Every VR platform has a variety of fun, moving, immersive games.
We put 3 of them in our top games of 2018!
And we weren’t the only ones.
Unlike the earliest adopters of VR, joining the party now means you can enjoy all the
great games that have come out over the last three years.
Plus, any games for these upcoming headsets should run on the current VR hardware,
so getting in now doesn’t necessarily mean missing out later.
And you can bet there will be more games thanks to these headsets.
Here’s how fast VR gaming development grew on the expensive PC platform.
Imagine what could happen with these cheaper systems.
Not that you need to wait: old-school gaming experiences are getting ported to VR.
And some VR games are so successful, they’re starting to get sequels.
Not every new game will be great, but the more active the development community,
the more likely we are to keep getting masterpieces.
Of course, as I’ve already mentioned, trying to convince people that VR games are good
is an uphill battle.
That’s why so many VR commercials have to rely on showing people enjoying the game.
But that's not just advertising: that’s what really happens when people try VR.
Oh my god, this is so cool!
Oh my god...
Whether it’s seeing a giant T rex ...
I think I'm gonna die!
or dodging a bullet
this is the coolest fuckin thing I've ever done
or flying through a trippy music game….
YESSSSS
Or just the simple joy of grabbing and holding onto to something in the virtual world.
Oh god!
Ultimately, you need to experience it for yourself
because that's what VR is
Experience.