What was to be expected
According to the last reports it looks like VR product sales in 2016 have been lower than initially expected. The issues lies with the content that’s simply not there fore this hardware at the current time. due to the lack of content and the high product costs of devices.
The combined sales numbers for Google Daydream View, HTC Vive, Oculus Rift and Samsung Gear VR are not even close to what was expected. Even the Sony PSVR, which is compatible with the new PS4 Pro did not hit the expectations in terms of sales number. Looking at the figures in Japan, which usually adapts quickly to such new technologies, only 0,7% of the owners of a PS4 or PS4 Pro tried a VR headset.
At the moment the problem is the content. So far there is not even a handful of games, which really benefit from a VR headset. Sure, there is for instance the VR version of Project Cars, but playing this game with VR goggles, sitting at a desk is pointless. What you’d need to own in this case as well is a racing seat, steering wheel and pedals as well as a shifter knob. All this combined would set you back another 1’000 Euro, which in the end makes VR pretty expensive.
Our hypothesis on VR is that since it immerses a user this much, the entire experience has to become more realistic as well. Playing a shooter for example with VR goggles on your head for example would require holding an actual gun in your hand and being able to physically walk, crouch, … This would definitely bring the gaming experience to another level.
The other issue with VR goggles is, that so far there is no use for them in professional gaming. This is an area that has been growing massively in the past decade and it has produced many idoles to young gamers. Those young gamers will always try to learn from the “Pros” and imitating them, they will use a display to play their games and not VR goggles.
We here at ocaholic have always been convinced that VR was going to be a big bubble. We’d even go to the point, stating, that the most interesting field for virtual reality devices is the porn industry.
Source: Techpowerup.com.
The combined sales numbers for Google Daydream View, HTC Vive, Oculus Rift and Samsung Gear VR are not even close to what was expected. Even the Sony PSVR, which is compatible with the new PS4 Pro did not hit the expectations in terms of sales number. Looking at the figures in Japan, which usually adapts quickly to such new technologies, only 0,7% of the owners of a PS4 or PS4 Pro tried a VR headset.
At the moment the problem is the content. So far there is not even a handful of games, which really benefit from a VR headset. Sure, there is for instance the VR version of Project Cars, but playing this game with VR goggles, sitting at a desk is pointless. What you’d need to own in this case as well is a racing seat, steering wheel and pedals as well as a shifter knob. All this combined would set you back another 1’000 Euro, which in the end makes VR pretty expensive.
Our hypothesis on VR is that since it immerses a user this much, the entire experience has to become more realistic as well. Playing a shooter for example with VR goggles on your head for example would require holding an actual gun in your hand and being able to physically walk, crouch, … This would definitely bring the gaming experience to another level.
The other issue with VR goggles is, that so far there is no use for them in professional gaming. This is an area that has been growing massively in the past decade and it has produced many idoles to young gamers. Those young gamers will always try to learn from the “Pros” and imitating them, they will use a display to play their games and not VR goggles.
We here at ocaholic have always been convinced that VR was going to be a big bubble. We’d even go to the point, stating, that the most interesting field for virtual reality devices is the porn industry.
Source: Techpowerup.com.
News by Luca Rocchi and Marc Büchel - German Translation by Paul Görnhardt - Italian Translation by Francesco Daghini
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