Will VR ever become mainstream?
VR Hopes
In today’s high-tech world, it’s hard to ignore the growing enthusiasm for virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) tech, with increasing numbers of ads for ever lighter and more capable goggles and glasses. According to industry forecasts, we can expect hyper realistic experiences, both visually as display and data-feed rates improve, and across our other senses with enhanced haptic gloves and other VR-wear so we can engage “physically” with this virtual world. The industry also promises to improve our shopping experience with virtual “clothing try-ons”, while non-consumer applications include fields as diverse as engineering, healthcare, manufacturing, and education.
These promises even come with impressive financial figures, with one recent article claiming VR tech was valued at $16.8 billion in 2023, while the VR and AR market combined are expected to be worth over $230 billion by 2032. By comparison, the games consol market in 2023 was $23.7 billion, and is only expected to reach 26.7 billion by 2029. This estimated growth in VR and AR suggests they are set to account for a major part of the electronic entertainment business within the next decade, driven by increased computing power, further integration with artificial intelligence, and shrinking hardware that is becoming easier to wear and operate alongside improved energy efficiency.
Unfulfilled Promises
However, there is also a sense that that the best of VR and AR, like fusion energy and the cure for the common cold, will always be “some years away”, however long we wait. We have been promised must-have VR tech for decades, with early systems such as the Sega VR headset and Nintendo’s Virtual Boy, followed by Oculus Rift, Google’s Daydream, and Apple’s Vision Pro never really making their mark.
Early problems with VR have included users reporting motion sickness and vertigo, while the prolonged use of heavy headsets can trigger user fatigue, and the lack of situational awareness can result in all sorts of unfortunate accidents. Likewise, AR glasses, while they give users a view of the real world around them, only provide a narrow “virtual” viewing window, and their past versions have been too obviously “new-tech” for most users to feel comfortable wearing them in public settings.
These mixed fortunes for VR and AR is even reflected in media articles, with Forbes reporting on one day that a U.S. court judge has set a milestone with the first use of VR goggles in a criminal trial, then reporting the next day that Meta had stopped selling its high-end Quest Pro virtual reality headset.
Above all, the industry has lacked that most important ingredient – the killer app that elevates VR and AR from “nice to have” to “can’t live without it”. Whether we recall Lotus 1-2-3 as the first killer application of the IBM PC, or Halo amping up sales for the newly launched X-Box, the VR/AR industry needs to come with some experience or solution not found elsewhere, in a form that drives user enthusiasm and engagement.
All Still To Play For
All these issues, however, don’t necessarily mean that those of us interested in lifestyle, fashion, and sports will always be let down by the high tech promises of VR and AR. it’s quite clear that major tech players are still heavily engaged, and are investing major sums into improving the technology and user experience.
At this point, I would also like to go out on a limb and suggest that online casino gambling sites, such as those highlighted by Casino.org, could benefit greatly from investing in the industry by creating a more “realistic” user experience.
For example, I think there is something unique about playing that fruit machine (slot machine for our American cousins) in the local pub. It’s not just the flashing lights and the chance of winning, but also the pub ambience and your friends standing around and egging you on. While a virtual experience won’t offer you a pint of best or a glass of chardonnay, there is no reason you shouldn’t have a more immersive experience, including seeing and hearing your winnings tumble into the coin holder, and seeing friends celebrating your victory.
And what about a true casino experience? Instead of staring at my phone or a computer screen, I want to feel like I am sitting at a roulette table. I want to place my own bets on the green baize, and watch other players place theirs. I want to share the camaraderie of waiting for the roulette dealer to throw the ball, and for us players to hold our collective breath as it spins and dances before falling into the slot we need for a big win.
I also think VR could aid the increasing interest in online poker games, with VR enabling users to either spectate or even to sit at the table. Improved AI should mean player avatars accurately reflect their body movements and tells, helping all of us to judge who is bluffing and who really holds that killer hand. Being a virtual observer, without actually seeing the cards of a live game, could improve personal skill and understanding of the game. And imagine how much more you could learn from watching a replay of that same game with all the cards revealed, choosing different places to stand, so you can analyze betting strategies and observe player reactions.
In Conclusion
Do I think VR will ever become mainstream? As an optimist, I think it will. I also suspect the real impetus will come out of left field, driven by an application we hadn’t considered thus far that makes VR and AR a significant benefit despite the extra equipment. The potential to provide “almost real” experiences, coupled with AI advances and improved bandwidth mean we can’t really comprehend what the future holds. But when it does arrive, I’ll be sitting at your poker table, wearing a green eye shield and shirtsleeve bands, chewing nervously on my cigar.
This article was provide to Verge by a third party.
