VR moving one step closer to mainstream acceptance in 2019. Things are gettin hot!

I'm not saying it's going to hit mainstream acceptance before 2020. Still needs some time (Facebook said they feel 10 million Oculus units sold would be enough for their VR sector to become viable and self-sustaining). But 2019 will be a major step towards that eventual day.

Upper Left: Valve INDEX coming around June. Headset should be an improvement over the Vive, and the VR Knuckle controllers will be a huge improvement in finger tracking AND it detects grip pressure. Valve rumored to still be working on 3 (yes, they counted to 3) VR games.

Upper Right: PSVR is slated to release quite a few games. They are trying to move away from the 1-2 hour demos and have more confidence in making AA/AAA games. The Iron Man VR will reportedly be an actual free-roaming sandbox game (not on-rails) and around 8-10 hours. And 4.2 million PSVR units sold since Oct. 2016 is no joke neither. Good for developers, good for VR's future

Lower Headsets: Oculus Quest and Oculus Rift S. Both untethered (Rift S still requires one cable to connect to PC, but gone are the sensors you had to mount all over your room). Quest's power is equivalent to a Samsung Galaxy 8, so the graphics won't be mind-blowing (some say it can achieve 360/PS3 graphics but I'm not sure about that yet). But the wireless experience is still a game-changer. You could, technically, stand in the middle of Antarctica or the Sahara Desert and play Beatsaber and not need anything else.

Rift S's graphical capabilities will only be limited by what graphics card you have (GTX 970 minimum). What's important here are the games turning more AAA with longer experiences. VR games are becoming more sophisticated as the developers quickly learn what works and what doesn't.

• "Insomniac's Stormland is shaping up to be the best VR game of 2019"

https://www.pcgamer.com/insomniacs-stormland-is-shaping-up-to-be-the-best-vr-game-of-2019/

"Last fall I played a combat-focused demo of Stormland and wrote that it "is exactly what I want from a VR game: Cool enough that I'd want to play it even without an Oculus headset, but much better because it's built to take full advantage of being in VR."

• 2 hour lines to play Asgard's Wrath at the recent PAX. This is an event with Nintendo, MS and Sony games to play, but VR was no slouch themselves when it came to garnering attention:

https://twitter.com/Jason_Rubin/status/1112423041705738240

• "The PS4’s future is PlayStation VR"

• "As the PS4’s time comes to an end, PSVR takes center stage"

https://www.theverge.com/2019/4/2/18291093/sony-playstation-4-psvr-future-virtual-reality-iron-man-games-ps5

"‘Iron Man VR’ gives players the kind of experience that they can’t get with a controller"

"Factor in all of the new titles on the horizon, along with the surprisingly good back catalog that’s been quietly building up, and one thing is clear: the PSVR is shaping up to be a big part of the PlayStation 4’s swan song."

• AR and VR Headsets Poised for Significant Growth, According to IDC

https://aithority.com/news/ar-and-vr-headsets-poised-for-significant-growth-according-to-idc/

"Worldwide shipments of augmented reality and virtual reality (AR/VR) headsets are forecast to reach 8.9 million units in 2019, up 54.1% from the prior year according to the IDC Worldwide Quarterly Augmented and Virtual Reality Headset Tracker."

See you on the other side boys

Get ready for the VR hater to come to this thread. lol

PS. Glad VR is doing great got a Oculus back in 2016 and it's easily the most impressive tech in decades.

Hell yeah. More and more VR threads popping up here, and more and more people taking note of the fact that PSVR/Vive/etc. gaming is *awesome*. VR gen 1 is well into hitting its stride for sure (NMS here we go!!); Gen 2 VR is gonna be bangin'. Great VR times ahead! ;)

Lol VR mainstream lolol, oh god thanks for the laugh.

MS have to jump in VR next gen right? Playing Halo in VR would be great.

@vfighter: I hope for your sake you live your entire life with your eyes closed, otherwise your argument has no merit.

I think Microsoft was probably right in skipping VR this gen, not much to go at it until Xbox Scarlet launches since they comment on VR is in the works.

Ugh, just let it go already. VR is a bomb. Less than 5% of ps4 owners have adopted it. And those suckers have been pushed it to death.

This would be a lot of fun. If I ever try VR soon though, I'm afraid I'd become addicted to it.

"Lol PCs mainstream lolol." - Some guy in 1977.

Thank god the world isn't filled with 8 billion Sevenizz clones. We'd all be in the stone age.

And if you think it was supposed to be a runaway success, I have some history for you: nothing this big ever is at the start.

@darthbuzzard: Umm, in gaming? If you bomb hard, your studio or developer shut their doors rather quick.

I’m not being anti tech here (I embrace game streaming on this site when no one else does). But in current form, the tech isn’t there yet. No one wants to wear a helmet for entertainment purposes.

@darthbuzzard: Nice alt, doesn't change the fact that VR is dead, always has been always will be.

You keep telling yourself that buddy.

Except that isn't happening. Plenty of developers are still on board with VR. Hell Valve are about to reveal their 3 big games.

Tethered VR is never going to go mainstream.

@Pedro: yeah but 10ghz is here and that's more than enough bandwidth for VR. Next gen of headsets should have them. Only really issue is power.

@darthbuzzard: VR is this gens 3d, a lotta hype and a lot of techies jizzing themselves and then its all gone. Just like 3d its gonna linger around like a bad fart but its not taking over or becoming mainstream.

@vfighter: It will become mainstream just not taking over. There's still a lot of improvement to be made, especially controls and combability. Controls have the possibility of making the immersion feel a lot better. VR is no where near what the immersion will be eventually, That and once its combine with AR which will change a lot (eventually).

VR is the future. Just waiting for them to make it better and affordable. I want to buy it. Just don’t have $400-$500 extra to spend.

VR, WhatAFailure lol.

Is there a release date for rift s?

@i_p_daily said:

VR, WhatAFailure lol.

I can post silly gifs too. Want me to find Goat Simulator gifs so we can have a laugh at pancake gaming? Or I can choose something that is actually more representative of VR:

Yep, totally. This VR thing which has unlimited potential is going to fizzle out just like this 3D thing that never had much potential. I mean it's not like people have been asking for VR since forever.

Why no love for Labo VR though?

@whatafailure said:

I'm not saying it's going to hit mainstream acceptance before 2020. Still needs some time (Facebook said they feel 10 million Oculus units sold would be enough for their VR sector to become viable and self-sustaining). But 2019 will be a major step towards that eventual day.

Upper Left: Valve INDEX coming around June. Headset should be an improvement over the Vive, and the VR Knuckle controllers will be a huge improvement in finger tracking AND it detects grip pressure. Valve rumored to still be working on 3 (yes, they counted to 3) VR games.

Upper Right: PSVR is slated to release quite a few games. They are trying to move away from the 1-2 hour demos and have more confidence in making AA/AAA games. The Iron Man VR will reportedly be an actual free-roaming sandbox game (not on-rails) and around 8-10 hours. And 4.2 million PSVR units sold since Oct. 2016 is no joke neither. Good for developers, good for VR's future

Lower Headsets: Oculus Quest and Oculus Rift S. Both untethered (Rift S still requires one cable to connect to PC, but gone are the sensors you had to mount all over your room). Quest's power is equivalent to a Samsung Galaxy 8, so the graphics won't be mind-blowing (some say it can achieve 360/PS3 graphics but I'm not sure about that yet). But the wireless experience is still a game-changer. You could, technically, stand in the middle of Antarctica or the Sahara Desert and play Beatsaber and not need anything else.

Rift S's graphical capabilities will only be limited by what graphics card you have (GTX 970 minimum). What's important here are the games turning more AAA with longer experiences. VR games are becoming more sophisticated as the developers quickly learn what works and what doesn't.

• "Insomniac's Stormland is shaping up to be the best VR game of 2019"

https://www.pcgamer.com/insomniacs-stormland-is-shaping-up-to-be-the-best-vr-game-of-2019/

"Last fall I played a combat-focused demo of Stormland and wrote that it "is exactly what I want from a VR game: Cool enough that I'd want to play it even without an Oculus headset, but much better because it's built to take full advantage of being in VR."

• 2 hour lines to play Asgard's Wrath at the recent PAX. This is an event with Nintendo, MS and Sony games to play, but VR was no slouch themselves when it came to garnering attention:

https://twitter.com/Jason_Rubin/status/1112423041705738240

• "The PS4’s future is PlayStation VR"

• "As the PS4’s time comes to an end, PSVR takes center stage"

https://www.theverge.com/2019/4/2/18291093/sony-playstation-4-psvr-future-virtual-reality-iron-man-games-ps5

"‘Iron Man VR’ gives players the kind of experience that they can’t get with a controller"

"Factor in all of the new titles on the horizon, along with the surprisingly good back catalog that’s been quietly building up, and one thing is clear: the PSVR is shaping up to be a big part of the PlayStation 4’s swan song."

• AR and VR Headsets Poised for Significant Growth, According to IDC

https://aithority.com/news/ar-and-vr-headsets-poised-for-significant-growth-according-to-idc/

"Worldwide shipments of augmented reality and virtual reality (AR/VR) headsets are forecast to reach 8.9 million units in 2019, up 54.1% from the prior year according to the IDC Worldwide Quarterly Augmented and Virtual Reality Headset Tracker."

See you on the other side boys

I wish Sony doesn't invest on VR too much, at least not for a while.

Reading these VR threads are so cringy

Anyone who has worked in retail or even has friends knows how shitty this sells in NA

Nintendo is about to introduce a bunch of young people to VR as well. It will be around for a while.

VR is destined to become as mainstream as 3D televisions. Just you wait.

Nah. Destined to become as mainstream as these things: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smartphone

Apparently, Valves headset tracks your body and you can see it in the game the same way you can see the controllers in SteamVR. Thats a game changer imo. It is also said to release with the Knuckles controllers which are now named "Valve Index Controllers". I'll likely be replacing my Vive with one.

Extremely unlikely.

I think they might. They are kind of in it with the Windows Mixed Reality headsets and the HoloLens (AR). In a few years, I can see Apple and Nintendo even joining in. There's just so much potential with VR and AR to have them completely sit out.

Nothing official from what I've read, but it's speculated an announcement will be made at Facebook's "F8" event this April 30th-May 1st.

And on May 2nd, Valve will release the specs of the INDEX headset and pre-orders will go up. Lots of VR news coming in a month!

How anyone can't see the long-term benefit of FR I don't know...

Some people would rather a screen on their wall forever... fucking pointless.

I think Nintendo put effort into the software and the gadget ideas, but that 720p in VR is going to be a real eyesore. It's actually worse than using an old smartphone and Google cardboard, and that's already considered bottom of the bottom tier (but at least that is even higher than 720p). Hard to say at this point if Labo VR will get those young people hooked on VR. I think we'll need impressions from reviewers who have tried all headsets and can give an honest opinion of the Labo VR's quality.

Smartphones themselves took a while to hit mainstream acceptance. A combination of early tech slowly improving, word of mouth, high price barrier, lack of content at the time: every piece of new technology has more hurdles in the beginning than later on.

To me, that's VR. Unlike Smartphones where you can drop $600+ on one item and you're done, VR like Rift and Vive can be more complicated. Need Lighthouse and room sensors, room in your house, USB extenders, adequate number of USB 3.0 ports, update the right drivers, have PC knowledge to deal with inevitable problems.

I consider the start of VR around 2016.

You could say it started in the 90s, or in 2013 with the early contraptions made with duct tape. But real VR that has an online storefront and retail-ready for purchase at Best Buy and Amazon started in 2016. So in less than 3 full years, I think VR has accomplished quite a bit, and things are looking good for the road ahead.

VR will never take off until it's Wireless and less than $300.

@darthbuzzard said:

@i_p_daily said:

VR, WhatAFailure lol.

I can post silly gifs too. Want me to find Goat Simulator gifs so we can have a laugh at pancake gaming? Or I can choose something that is actually more representative of VR:

The nuanced levels of interactivity with objects and enemies is really incredible in that Boneworks demo. I don't understand how people can look at that and then go "VR offers nothing new and won't take off."

Rooms with puzzles can be incredible in VR with that type of finger and arm tracking. They already have some Escape Room VR experiences that take place in fantastical settings and have clever room puzzles to solve (and I can see escape room VR being a very popular social experience in a few years)

@whatafailure: :D Escape Rooms and VR are a great combination.

I can't see how people say the graphics of PSVR games are good. They look worst than any Xbox One game.

@darthbuzzard: Is that you blueberry?

I have the Pimax 5k plus. The field of view is pretty amazing, just like actually being there. However it's limited until they send me the base stations and knuckle controllers.

VR is fun.

The haters probably only own an Xbox or something.

@whatafailure said:

@darthbuzzard said:

@i_p_daily said:

VR, WhatAFailure lol.

I can post silly gifs too. Want me to find Goat Simulator gifs so we can have a laugh at pancake gaming? Or I can choose something that is actually more representative of VR:

The nuanced levels of interactivity with objects and enemies is really incredible in that Boneworks demo. I don't understand how people can look at that and then go "VR offers nothing new and won't take off."

Rooms with puzzles can be incredible in VR with that type of finger and arm tracking. They already have some Escape Room VR experiences that take place in fantastical settings and have clever room puzzles to solve (and I can see escape room VR being a very popular social experience in a few years)

Some people are scared it will take attention away from their type of gaming or want resources spent elsewhere.

Yeah, nope. I don't partake in blueberries. Much prefer strawberries.

VR combat looks like a lot of fun. I think given time it could be really great. That being said, I have never played any games in VR so I can't really take sides.

@whatafailure said:

@dzimm said:

@darthbuzzard said:

@dzimm said:

VR is destined to become as mainstream as 3D televisions. Just you wait.

Nah. Destined to become as mainstream as these things: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smartphone

Extremely unlikely.

Smartphones themselves took a while to hit mainstream acceptance. A combination of early tech slowly improving, word of mouth, high price barrier, lack of content at the time: every piece of new technology has more hurdles in the beginning than later on.

To me, that's VR. Unlike Smartphones where you can drop $600+ on one item and you're done, VR like Rift and Vive can be more complicated. Need Lighthouse and room sensors, room in your house, USB extenders, adequate number of USB 3.0 ports, update the right drivers, have PC knowledge to deal with inevitable problems.

I consider the start of VR around 2016.

You could say it started in the 90s, or in 2013 with the early contraptions made with duct tape. But real VR that has an online storefront and retail-ready for purchase at Best Buy and Amazon started in 2016. So in less than 3 full years, I think VR has accomplished quite a bit, and things are looking good for the road ahead.

We've had pocket computers like PDAs for well over a decade, but they were mostly considered expensive toys for geeks. It wasn't until Apple started pushing the iPhone with their usual brilliant marketing that most people even recognized smartphones as a legitimate mainstream consumer item, and that's because they can serve so many different functions, from communication to GPS to taking pictures of your kids to listening to music to watching a movie to completing a sales transaction, even making an actual phone call, and the list goes on. It's a technological Swiss Army knife that can fill a purpose in pretty much anyone's life.

VR, on the other hand, is not nearly as versatile or convenient, so saying, "VR will take off because smartphones took off," is basically comparing apples to salamanders. As far as mainstream appeal is concerned, I think VR has far more in common with 3D televisions than smartphones.

It seems that VR is moving a step closer to mainsteam acceptance as Nintendo has announced that Super Mario Odyssey and Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wind will support Labo VR on late April.

Coming soon, you’ll be able to play two fan-favorite Nintendo Switch™ games using the Toy-Con VR Goggles from Nintendo Labo™: VR Kit.

Super Mario Odyssey™

Experience small areas of the Cap, Seaside and Luncheon Kingdoms in a whole new way with the Toy-Con VR Goggles. Players must collect music notes and Coins to complete objectives in three new mini-missions.

The Legend of Zelda™: Breath of the Wild

Enjoy this epic adventure like never before—change modes at any time while adventuring to explore your favorite places with VR!

The Super Mario Odyssey and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild games will both receive a free update on April 26th to be compatible with the VR Goggles from the Nintendo Labo: VR Kit. For those of you that have either of the games and are planning to purchase Nintendo Labo: VR Kit, we hope you’ll give it a try.

@goldenelementxl: Do you think they will sell a "better" version of the googles after this?

@dzimm said:

@whatafailure said:

@dzimm said:

@darthbuzzard said:

@dzimm said:

VR is destined to become as mainstream as 3D televisions. Just you wait.

Nah. Destined to become as mainstream as these things: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smartphone

Extremely unlikely.

Smartphones themselves took a while to hit mainstream acceptance. A combination of early tech slowly improving, word of mouth, high price barrier, lack of content at the time: every piece of new technology has more hurdles in the beginning than later on.

To me, that's VR. Unlike Smartphones where you can drop $600+ on one item and you're done, VR like Rift and Vive can be more complicated. Need Lighthouse and room sensors, room in your house, USB extenders, adequate number of USB 3.0 ports, update the right drivers, have PC knowledge to deal with inevitable problems.

I consider the start of VR around 2016.

You could say it started in the 90s, or in 2013 with the early contraptions made with duct tape. But real VR that has an online storefront and retail-ready for purchase at Best Buy and Amazon started in 2016. So in less than 3 full years, I think VR has accomplished quite a bit, and things are looking good for the road ahead.

We've had pocket computers like PDAs for well over a decade, but they were mostly considered expensive toys for geeks. It wasn't until Apple started pushing the iPhone with their usual brilliant marketing that most people even recognized smartphones as a legitimate mainstream consumer item, and that's because they can serve so many different functions, from communication to GPS to taking pictures of your kids to listening to music to watching a movie to completing a sales transaction, even making an actual phone call, and the list goes on. It's a technological Swiss Army knife that can fill a purpose in pretty much anyone's life.

VR, on the other hand, is not nearly as versatile or convenient, so saying, "VR will take off because smartphones took off," is basically comparing apples to salamanders. As far as mainstream appeal is concerned, I think VR has far more in common with 3D televisions than smartphones.

We've been through this. You're completely wrong and have no clue what you're talking about.

Reminds me of the Sega 3D glasses, great for about 15 minutes then just forget about them.