Changes in the VR market are happening constantly, with new peripherals seemingly popping up weekly. As much as hardware is incredible and is what really allows you to interface with the Virtual Reality realm, software is currently the main pinpoint holding back the technology medium as a whole. With the entire world talking about how VR is the next big thing, let’s have a quick chat about how VR is actually going to be integrated into our daily lives.
Okay, so hardware. We all love hardware. It’s a bit tough to talk about VR without mentioning it at least once. We are in a peculiar place with VR right now because all the innovation is happening on the hardware side, and that’s great. But what do you do with a headset and controllers once you have them plugged in? Currently, you have two options: Option A, look for the game or program you’re trying to run and buy it. Or option B which is, if said game or software doesn’t exist, you have to make it yourself.
This brings us to private vs public content. Oh yeah and that other thing: Money. Funny how this little thing pops up all the time. The issue with option B is that creating content is no easy task, and usually content is created for a specific type of hardware for a private use-case scenario. Once that’s done, the company has no intention of releasing the software or they sell it at a high price as they are the only one on the market who has such software. Public content is created with the goal of bringing it to the mainstream market, such as games. Once a company develops a product, they tend to release it in early access, that way they begin to make money back along the development process and can adjust as needed. The result is usually an unpolished experience that leaves a lot to be desired. Even more surprisingly, it’s unfortunate how many experiences get abandoned after making their initial investment back.
So where does that leave us, the general public, for content? I did say that we would talk about how VR will tie into our daily routines, so here we go!
Once again, there are two options of how I see this happening. Option 1 is through work-related training. With the use of VR we can simulate difficult or expensive training scenarios which would normally cost the employer resources to waste for the sake of training. This will be especially useful in situations such as car mechanics, bartending, and jobs that require certain delicate or dangerous environments such as medical or mining. With the use of VR, employers can coach and teach staff on the principles of their job and show them the things they need to know before they begin their procedure or exercise without the pressure of doing it wrong with major consequences. The added bonus is that no product is wasted in such cases as bartending where alcohol can get expensive.
And that brings us to option 2 which is entertainment. This is another subject we’ve touched on more specifically in the past, however today I just want to talk a bit more generally. More and more companies are doing outings, more and more people are going out with friends in search of things to do and more often than not, people want to try something new. A Virtual Reality Experience Centre such as ours provides a great place for employees, employers, friends, grandparents or anyone to just come hang out and have a blast. Celebrate a corporate milestone, throw a bachelor party or just meet up with some friends and have some drinks. VR ‘Arcades’ or ‘Lounges’ are a great experience for anyone and I truly believe they are how VR will integrate into our daily routines.
With that in mind, consider having your next team building event in Virtual Reality, and get a head start on understanding this new and important technology. Check out what we can offer by clicking below!
The last thing I’ll touch on before I finish up here is mobile VR. With mobile headsets like the Oculus Go and the Vive Focus, or even the Samsung Gear VR, the cost of entry is significantly lower than a dedicated setup. Although the experiences tend to be a bit simpler or of lower quality, more people are creating content as VR is now more accessible than ever before. The cost of getting into VR has never been lower. If you have a phone, you already have access to tons of content. And if you have $10 you can throw your phone into a few pieces of cardboard and now you have yourself a private movie theatre.
To summarize, VR may not spread like wildfire like a certain animal catching game on the go, but VR is already everywhere and more accessible than ever. If you keep your eyes open, you may just see it pop into view here and there. And yes, pun intended.
