Future of Virtual Reality
Author Ernest Cline exposes us to a dystopian future where civilization ignores its actual surroundings in favor of logging into a massively multiplayer virtual reality game called the OASIS in his best-selling science fiction book turned major motion picture Ready Player One. OASIS players traverse a stunningly bright and exciting environment that offers not just a game but also schooling, socializing, and employment. They are outfitted with virtual reality visors, haptic gloves, immersion suits, and even devices that emit software-generated aromas.
The future of virtual reality gaming appears to be how augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) technology and content are delivered from early acceptance to prime time, although it is unclear whether an OASIS will ever become a reality. In fact, according to 60% of business and technology stakeholders surveyed for Jabil’s 2018 Augmented and Virtual Reality Trends Survey, these technologies will become widely used in the consumer market before they do so in the corporate world. Gamers want challenges and are prepared to put in the time to learn how a game and its technology work, unlike time-constrained workers, especially if the game offers complete immersion.
Virtual and augmented reality are both synonymous with gaming:
Immersion in a virtual environment has long been a top priority for those who make video games. Over time, additional advancements have provided haptic feedback through controls and 360-degree views of increasingly realistic settings. These technologies have become associated with gaming because they go beyond this and can make the player enthusiastic about the world she is in, whether it is the augmented real world or a fictional world.
The best augmented reality (AR) gaming experience to date, “Pokémon Go,” brings Pokémon into the real world. The game lets users engage with this new, augmented version of reality by overlaying additional features, in this case, a Pokémon, on top of the real environment that is immediately in front of them as seen through their cellphones. While searching for Pokémon, players can utilize the game to discover a new city or even areas of their town that they have never been to before. Even better, the gamers were working together to find and capture these peculiar creatures. Ironically, technology in this instance encouraged social interaction.
The Price of the Virtual & Augmented Reality Gaming:
According to the 2017 Essential Facts About the Computer and Video Game Industry report by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), consumer spending on the video game industry totaled $30.4 billion in 2016, with $24.5 billion spent on content, $3.7 billion on hardware, and $2.2 billion spent on accessories, including VR.
The average customer can be discouraged from buying VR games as a result of their expensive cost, limiting participation for the time being to committed gamers. As the technology advances and gets more widely used, the price of these devices will probably decrease.
Because consumers, whether or not they are dedicated gamers, can use the smart gadgets they already own to play the games, augmented reality is becoming more and more popular. “Pokémon Go” still had 20 million daily active players as of December 2017. Because it was simple for any smartphone user to download the free software and begin playing the game, technology may have even attracted new gamers to the market.
The ESA report also states that when choosing a game, cost plays a minor role in decision-making. Sixty-seven percent of players prioritize the graphics quality. This implies that players will be keen to purchase and play AR and VR games provided they can provide a high-quality visual experience.
Challenges to Be Overcome for Virtual Reality Gaming in the Future:
Of course, there are some restrictions on VR gaming systems because this technology is still in its infancy. For instance, video game designers are still striving to make a perfect virtual environment that exactly recognizes what area of the virtual world the player is engaging with, adapts in perfect real-time when the player turns his or her head, and correctly orients direction. VR sickness can result from differences between the actual world as experienced by the body and the virtual world as experienced by the mind. According to Fortune, up to 40% of VR users claim to feel queasy while moving through a virtual environment while their bodies are still in the real world.
Additionally, a VR game’s field of view is smaller than a person’s actual field of vision. In contrast to the 190 degrees of horizontal and 120 degrees of vertical vision that a person possesses in real life, a player in a VR game only has a 90-degree field of vision. The huge and unwieldy nature of VR headsets required to obtain a wide field of vision can wear down users physically and possibly give them headaches. Once more, as technology advances, lighter headsets will be an option.
How Will the AR/VR Environment Change?
Despite these difficulties, 69 percent of poll participants from Jabil believe that AR and VR will become widely used during the following five years. Nearly 50% of respondents to Jabil’s survey predicted a world where augmented reality and virtual reality are almost completely integrated and players can control a game on a screen with a wave of glove equipped with motion sensors. Another 25% of participants envision a VR environment in which a player navigates a virtual gaming world while staying sedentary in the real world.
Of course, given how quickly technology is evolving, it’s feasible that the future of AR and VR offers something entirely different. Even though 29% of those surveyed by Jabil claimed to have a plan for using AR and VR in the future, 82 percent of respondents said that the environment will change too quickly for them to establish firm plans. With the development of the AR/VR gaming market, flexibility is crucial for game technology, platform developers, and content producers.
The world will probably be eager to play whenever the universal platform is developed, whether it be the OASIS or something else. AR/VR will enter the public thanks to virtual reality gaming in the future.
FAQ
What is virtual reality, and how does it work in gaming and entertainment?
A technology known as virtual reality (VR) allows users to interact with a computer-generated environment in a very realistic manner. With applications in industries including gaming, education, healthcare, and entertainment, it has grown in popularity recently.
How is VR changing the gaming experience?
Through its ability to give users a more involved and immersive experience, virtual reality is revolutionising the game industry. Players can become completely immersed in a virtual world via VR, interact with items and people, and experience the action firsthand.
What are the challenges and obstacles facing VR adoption in gaming and entertainment?
The high price and complexity of VR hardware and software are two of the main obstacles to VR adoption in education. VR hardware, including headsets, controllers, sensors, and computers, is frequently pricy, heavy, and complicated to set up and maintain.
How is VR being used beyond gaming, such as in movies and virtual tourism?
Users of virtual reality headsets can browse virtual art galleries, view films in a virtual theatre, and attend live concerts from the comfort of their homes. The entertainment is given a new depth by way of this immersive experience, which increases its interest and appeal.
What is the future of VR esports and competitive gaming?
VR gaming has become more prevalent in eSports despite its relative youth, with the market for virtual game content expected to reach $7 billion by 2025.
