Virtual Reality has been in the news more and more lately. With Melbourne becoming the capital of VR games, everybody’s gaze turned towards Oculus Rift and Sony’s developments. But not everyone knows that Virtual Reality has not been a single man’s work and it hasn’t had a linear development. Decades of research went into designing what nowadays we call Virtual Reality. People who gave it a try have only words of praise for it, claiming this is the future we’ve all been waiting for. But other skeptical voices point out nothing is only milk and honey. Including Virtual Reality Gaming. We’ve gathered all the arguments that point to the quick decline of these new devices and compiled a list of 10 reasons that could lead to VR gaming failing.
10. The price
It’s not rocket science to figure out that competitive prices could help Virtual Reality devices take off. But looking back at other examples, we doubt it. It’s difficult to put a price tag on technology, and what ends up happening most of the times is producers set incredibly high prices. This is backed up by 4k TVs, which, in the first year, were being sold anywhere between $10,000 and $100,000. Will VR gaming get over this take-off obstacle?
9. Graphics
In order to ensure the success of an immersive experience, the graphics should be flawless. At least as good as a movie’s. Which translates into months of working and perfecting the experience. To manage to fully engulf your users into a fake world, you need outstanding special effects. While this is not unachievable, it is more a thing of the future.
8. VR can cause seizure
And possibly other side effects that we haven’t discovered yet. No research has been done on the effects of Virtual Reality, so we don’t know how we would react after prolonged exposure. Will our eyes be sore? Will our vision have to suffer from this? It has been shown that 3D can damage children’s eyes. So if and when VR sneaks its way into our lives, we should perform more thorough investigations about its effects.
7. Wires everywhere
Everything is going wireless around us. Even lawn mowers. So it’s no wonder VR headsets’ wires are a cause for concern. The VR headsets need various cables to communicate between networks. This could lead to the limitation of the users’ movements, which would sabotage the whole experience.
6. Big rooms
Besides the wires problem that would limit the users’ movements, there is also the space issue. How many gamers have the extra space to enjoy a fully immersive experience with the VR headsets? If you have gaming gadgets lying all around, with already barely enough space to move, it’s going to be a challenge to move around in the virtual world.
5. Heavy devices
If you’re familiar with a simple stereo headset that hurts your ears and makes you sweat in the summer, you’ll see the issue with the VR headsets right away. They are heavier and bulkier than our typical headphone, so we’ll have to sacrifice our neck muscles’ well-being if we’re looking to enjoy VR games for hours on end.
4. Conserving energy
We’re still in the dark on the VR headsets energy consumption levels. We don’t know anything about charging or keeping them powered. But acting on a hunch, we’d say VR gaming will require a lot of energy to run. Environmentalists will be up in their arms before long.
3. It could promote isolation
It has been argued that Virtual Reality gaming will only promote isolation from human contact and lead to a lonely life in which shopping and having fun can be done in a virtual world. The great debate whether the internet is our friend or not will probably pass on to VR gaming as well, splitting everyone into two opposing camps.
2.Virtual Surround Sound
We’re still a long way from achieving the surround sound that could hint at the enemy’s location. I’m not talking about noises that clearly come from behind. We would need a surround sound that could match the VR headsets. For the experience to be truly immersive, ambient noise that can be detected from all directions is a must.
1. Did we turn down 3D to embrace VR?
Gamers didn’t hurry to hop on the 3D glasses bandwagon. Instead, they stuck to Xbox 360 and PS3 for something that wasn’t an immersive experience, but which they still prefer over 3D gaming. With this precedent in mind, what’s to say VR gaming will be able to please gamers and draw them into their virtual world for unprecedented experiences?
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