What’s up with VR?

So there’s an abundance of VR headsets. Literally. Loads of them. We saw the modern era culminate on Feb 2, 2024 with the launch of Apple Vision Pro (which I’m wearing now, as I write). Back in 2015 it was all janky DK1 and then 2016 saw the Rift and HTC Vive and STEAM VR with lighthouses whirring on stands in the corner of your room. Now we have standalone Oculus Quest 3 headset with many more iterations to come from Meta (yes, even if they do pivot their mega R&D budget more towards A.I. and away from VR to appease shareholders).

So what’s the problem? Seems to me there’s not just a heavy-headset problem (limiting time in-headset) but a content problem. Where are the VR experiences to keep you coming back for more? Half Life: Alyx was magnificent. Other games such as The Forest played in VR would keep you coming back time and again. But the top selling VR games are kinda … boring. Where’s the sense of purpose? Where’s the connection to the real World (even if the point is to escape the real world!). Paydirt Games was setup to address this. Maybe we’ll do a VR user interface, maybe not (walk before you run, right?) but for sure VR has a purpose to serve … and maybe one reason why most typical VR users spend just ~20mins at a time in VR headsets is not just the discomfort/weight/hairdo risk but because the reality of the experience doesn’t align with the gameplay being offered. Just a theory … but what if things done/achieved in Virtual Reality had an impact IRL (In Real Life)? Maybe that’s the chasm VR is (still) trying to cross? One thing for sure, the ‘new generation’ of videogamers today are the first generation to have access to VR headsets, and it looks like they love ‘em. Some word-of-mouth data from the bowels of ‘mega-headset-vendor X’ suggests the retention/activity conundrum (‘why dont VR headset users … use their headsets more often and for extended periods?’) is not present among the teenagers & young adults (18-30years) VR headset owning cohort. In fact, the data which passed my desk suggests this new breed (if you like) are REALLY into using their VR headsets. Like … 3x per week, 2hours per session. Heh, at least that explains Gorilla Tag’s popularity! That said, it’s hugely promising for likely expected / future adoption of VR (or AR or XR or Spatial … blah blah acronymz, right?). Chunky sunglasses (eventually) = hundreds of millions of regular VR users.

Oh, and the Apple Vision Pro? First headset I’ve worn for hours on end. Seriously. It’s heavy and discombobulating. But it’s also magical. The clarity of the optics. The only-slightly-blurriness as you move your head around. The ‘99% works beautifully’ finger-pinching and eye tracking User Interface. But, for me (so far) the key points are

(i) the ability to throw on the headset and almost instantly summon my Mac Air laptop screen in front of me in mega-vision-scale (whilst also using the physical laptop keyboard - virtual keyboards are a joke); and

(ii) ‘3D Baby’ … yep, the 3D video & photo captures are spooky cool (you’re literally back in the moment), as are the surprisingly wide range of 3D movies you can pull up from Apple TV and the Disney+ App. In fact, watching TV and 3D movies in the headset has DISPLACED most of my solo 2D TV viewing. That’s SOLO 2D TV viewing, not social 2D TV viewing IRL with buddies … something Apple needs to consider … multi-user virtual movie theaters anyone? Oh wait. That means my HIDEOUS Playstation 2-graphics-era lookalike ‘persona’ (3D facial captured render with odd teeth) will likely be floating in a multi-user virtual movie theater, which will be fine, as long as others in there can throw virtual popcorn at PS2 virtual me!

But, all in all, this is actually worth the money. Yep. I dared to say it. Instead of squinting and hunching over my Apple Mac Air I’m proudly slumped in any position I want looking at vast augmented reality productivity screens. I also get the Apple Music app blaring away and a quick break into 3D movies or Internet browsing. One downside NOT mentioned is the major increase in ‘chip tooth’ syndrome. I reckon Apple Dentistry is coming up next as bringing mugs, glasses or bottles to your mouth is unnerving and tooth-chippingly risky … it’s like docking Space X . I end up puckering, then carefully sipping. Awks. Maybe an Apple Straw as an optional add on to this headset? OK, enough random musings. Go and demo an Apple Vision Pro at an Apple Store and tell me you’re not impressed. Go on …

Me NOT in a VR headset, circa 1987