Contrary to Popular Belief, VR is Still Years Away from Becoming a Household Technology

Video games are one of the most popular parts of the entertainment industry. At the end of 2018, it was responsible for generating over 134 billion dollars in revenue. With the advent of smartphones and subsequent games developed for these devices as well, there has been tremendous growth across the globe. 

We know how gaming freaks like to play as they become obsessed with the gameplay and the characters. It usually happens when they have a mission to complete, find something, or reach a destination. There are several aspects to a game that can make a person become its avid fan, and that’s where video game publishers cash in. 

How can Gameplay get the attention of a Player?

EA Sports is one of the most popular and oldest video game publishers in the world. EA sports published dozens of games, and lots of its titles like Need for Speed, Battlefield, and sports titles like FIFA, NFL, and UFC are very popular. Their latest Star Wars title, Squadrons, is making sure it can cash in on the Virtual Reality (VR) bandwagon. 

Let us shed some light on how this game will be played and the use of VR in it.

Star Wars: Squadrons

Still over four months away from its October 2nd release, this title was announced by EA in its latest EA Play Live press conference on 18th June 2020. While its other features like its offering of putting you in the pilot seat of the iconic Star Wars aircraft, its use of VR is the one to watch, it will be entirely playable on Virtual Reality on PS4 and PC.

VR in Gaming 

Right from the moment when Facebook paid dollar 3 billion for Oculus, things have changed quite rapidly for the famed technology. Now a division of Facebook Inc, which specializes in VR hardware and software products, the Rapid development of VR headsets, applications, and software is still far from the ideal pace. So, what went wrong for a technology that was thought to be a game-changer in not only the gaming industry but also in movie making and other fields?

Let us describe this aspect in a bit detail so that you can understand our viewpoint easily. 

What Went Wrong with VR? 

Virtual Reality is a technology that, through VR headsets, offers an excellent experience for the viewers. A simulated experience, what we see in a game or a movie being played in VR, can be similar or completely different from the real world. The use of VR headsets made us look into a whole new world that offers escapism from our daily routine and leads us to an exciting world. 

But why has VR not got its true potential and why it hasn't become a mainstream or household technology, just like Wi-Fi or Hotspot? Let us clarify this aspect now. 

After Facebook, Google, HTC, Samsung, and Sony started projects to launch their headsets or related hardware with the help of third parties. But things didn’t turn out the way they wanted, and that’s why they opted out from the deal or didn’t continue their venture in this concern. Even the Oculus headset, which was touted to be the next revolution, hasn’t turned out to be a bestseller. 

Comparing the data of Oculus with PlayStation or that of global smartphone sales, paint a very sorry picture. Against 354,000 Oculus sets sold in 2018, PlayStation 4 was sold to the tune of 17 million, and over 1.4 billion smartphones were sold. Facebook’s aspirations took a big hit as it was looking forward to making Oculus headsets the de facto market leader. 

Hardware and Software Limitations 

The main problem with the VR technology is still the use of wires, being too expensive, and at times, too uncomfortable to use. Even now, with standalone sets for smartphones are available, VR is still not a household technology even in big cities around the world like NYC, London, Tokyo, and Dubai. 

In the Middle East, companies marketing the VR headsets spend a fortune in marketing the product. From hiring the services of a Dubai web design agency to using a unique marketing strategy, the product just didn’t take off, just like it failed to entice its target market worldwide. 

Future of VR and Gaming as a Whole

The gaming industry still believes that the technology of VR can help their games sell more than average. While in some cases, it may be true, the problem is the same, which I have described in this blog. After spending thousands of dollars on gaming consoles and buying individual games, not many gamers are interested in purchasing a new VR headset. Instead, they are more into big LED screens to get a satisfying and fulfilling gaming experience.

While VR is still in the market and maybe in a few years, it may bounce back with a bang. But there are chances it would be replaced with new technology. This had happened several times before as a technology which was touted to be the next big thing, like the 3D TVs in the early 2010s bit the dust and now they are nowhere to be found. 

Over to you

So, would you go for a game like Star Wars: Squadrons just because it is offering VR experience on PC and PS4? Or would you play the game on a big screen, ditching VR technology altogether? And what about the other games and websites offering VR based experience to their visitors? 

Things are certainly complicated, but one thing is for sure, not many industry pundits have not written off VR technology completely. Who knows that in the future, VR makes a roaring comeback with a breakthrough in hardware and software technology on which it is based. 

If you think you can add something valuable to this blog or want to ask something, you are more than welcome. For any feedback, too, please use the comments section below.