Remember how a few years ago everyone was talking about the upcoming revolution in the gaming industry? Like, very soon, virtual and augmented reality technologies (VR/AR) would completely change the way we perceive video games. Supposedly, we would no longer just look at a screen, but truly immerse ourselves in game worlds, almost physically feeling like we’re inside them. Developers and hardware manufacturers were vying with each other, promising that the era of VR gaming was just around the corner. Billions of dollars were poured into this sphere.
But a watched pot never boils, right? The VR revolution in gaming is still lagging somewhere. And this is despite the fact that some VR devices are really impressive. Take the recent Oculus Quest 3 or Apple Vision Pro – technologically advanced, comfortable, wireless. The progress is evident. But they have not yet brought about the promised revolution in the gaming industry.
Games as a driver of progress. But something’s off…
The gaming industry has historically been one of the main testing grounds for technological innovations. We owe modern computers and smartphones, the internet, and even artificial intelligence to video games to some extent. It was the demands of game developers that stimulated the emergence of the first 3D accelerators and the development of online infrastructure. Countless people first got acquainted with computers and programming thanks to games.
So it was quite logical to expect the next revolution in gaming to come with the advent of VR. However, something didn’t go according to plan. Undoubtedly, virtual reality technologies are developing by leaps and bounds, yet a breakthrough into the mass gaming mainstream has not happened yet. This raises questions about how emerging concepts like meta spins might reshape the landscape, potentially bridging the gap between innovation and widespread adoption in gaming.
Sales are there, but no breakthrough
It would seem that the sales figures for VR gadgets inspire optimism. Oculus Quest 3 and other headsets are selling by hundreds of thousands and millions of units. Meta’s gaming division unabashedly reports record quarterly revenues for headsets and software. But these successes have not yet made a big impact on the gaming industry.
Even a million VR devices sold is a drop in the bucket compared to the tens and hundreds of millions of “classic” gaming platforms. No VR game has yet become a real “system seller” for which people are ready to rush headlong to the store for special hardware. Valve, of course, managed to generate a lot of hype with its Half-Life: Alyx, but even it did not lead to an explosive growth in VR headset sales.
And it’s not just about games – VR device buyers themselves do not always use them for gaming. Statistics show that most VR headset users, at best, rarely launch games, preferring other applications like fitness or virtual meetings. For many, VR gadgets still remain an image purchase, a trendy high-tech toy to “try and forget”.
VR gaming is not that simple
Why can’t VR gaming make a breakthrough to the masses? The reasons are actually complex and largely interconnected:
- Market fragmentation. There’s a complete lack of standardization in the VR device market. Each manufacturer promotes its own platform and software store. Game developers have to spend a lot of effort and money to adapt their projects to many incompatible “ecosystems”. With the current sales volumes, it’s nearly impossible to adequately monetize VR games under such conditions.
- Technical limitations. VR technologies cannot yet offer a convincing and comfortable gaming experience. Most people complain of “motion sickness” and quick fatigue from VR sessions. Headsets are inconvenient for playing dynamic shooters and large-scale strategies, eyes get tired quickly, the neck gets stiff. And current VR controllers are still far from perfect in terms of control accuracy.
- Game design specifics. It turned out that familiar game genres and mechanics are very difficult to adapt for VR. What works great on a “flat” screen often loses its meaning and immersive effect in virtual reality. Fundamentally new approaches to game design are needed, and it takes time to work them out.
- Detachment from reality. The very nature of VR as a deep immersion in a virtual world contradicts the trend towards the integration of games into everyday life. Modern gamers are used to constantly keeping their finger on the pulse and interacting with the outside world via smartphones and social networks. And VR forces you to completely abstract from reality, which is not comfortable for everyone.
- High prices. High-quality VR devices are still quite expensive, especially if you buy ergonomic accessories like wireless adapters and branded controllers. This sharply narrows the potential audience for VR gaming.
Light at the end of the tunnel
Does all this mean that VR games are doomed to remain a niche entertainment for geeks? Not necessarily. The history of the gaming industry knows many examples when technologies considered unpromising suddenly took off after the appearance of the “right” product. Mobile gaming before the iPhone, digital distribution before Steam, handheld consoles before the Nintendo Switch – the list goes on.
It’s possible that VR games simply need their “perfect gadget” or “breakthrough software” that will turn the tide and make virtual reality truly massive and in demand. Some next-generation headset with a “killer feature” or a long-awaited AAA game designed strictly for VR.
But until this happens, talk about a VR revolution in gaming remains nothing more than marketing slogans and attempts to pass off wishful thinking as reality. VR technologies and VR games will continue to evolve, but in the coming years they are unlikely to turn the gaming industry upside down the way futurists promised us. However, this does not negate the fact that VR/AR will still have a certain role in the future of the gaming market. But what exactly that role will be – no one can predict yet.