Once, I thought that devices like the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and PSVR were just a passing trend. But there are many people smarter than me who disagree with my initial skepticism.
The first time I tried VR, it left me breathless. I was genuinely terrified by a horror game, so much that I struggled to breathe normally. At that moment, I realized this wasn't just a gimmick—it was the future!
Two years ago, I had the chance to try the Sony PSVR. I played a game called "Kitchen," and from that point on, I started to fear the term "VR experience." It was intense, unforgettable, and honestly, a bit scary.
PSVR has been available for a while now, and its price has dropped from $459 to $399. The same goes for the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift, which have also seen significant price cuts. Meanwhile, companies like Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, Lenovo, and Samsung have launched several new Windows Mixed Reality headsets priced between $400 and $500.
Back then, I guessed that by 2017 I'd be fully immersed in VR and unable to pull myself away. Now, how many VR headsets do I own? None. Zero.
The reason is simple: most VR experiences are short-lived, and there aren’t enough compelling games or valuable applications to keep users engaged long-term.
This isn’t just my personal opinion. Oculus Rift sold only 250,000 units in its first year. While HTC Vive may have sold more, exact numbers aren’t publicly known. Sony, however, announced that millions of PSVR units have been shipped. But with nearly 68 million PS4s in circulation, that means less than 1.5% of PlayStation owners have bought a VR headset. Clearly, VR hasn’t lived up to expectations yet.
At the end of October, I still believed VR was just a passing fad—until I spoke with industry insiders who shared a different perspective. Their optimism changed my view.
Joe Olmsted, Dell’s PC development manager, compared VR to color TV when it first came out. He said there was little content, mostly just technical demos. That sounds exactly like where VR is right now.
He believes VR is currently in a flat phase but is about to take off. He also sees a bright future for Augmented Reality (AR).
A few days before PAX, AMD’s CTO Joe Macri mentioned the new PC chip at an event in Sydney. He expressed his excitement about VR and even suggested that VR, AR, and AI could drive the next evolution of personal computing.
He predicted that in 10 years, phones will be replaced by glasses or wearable devices. Simple tasks like browsing the web or sending messages will be done on smaller devices, while technologies like VR will require more powerful computers, keeping laptops and desktops relevant.
Even though VR headsets have been on the market for 18 months without a revolution, experts aren’t worried. They say content takes time to develop, and complex games can take years to create.
These industry leaders are shaping the future of personal computing. In recent years, PC sales have slowed down, but VR and AR could change that. Gamers, in particular, are driving demand for better hardware.
Bryan Del Rizzo, Nvidia’s senior PR manager, noted that gaming laptops are the fastest-growing segment of the PC market. People usually upgrade their graphics cards every two to three years.
But VR and AR aren’t just for gamers. They have the potential to transform entertainment, sports, social interactions, healthcare, and more. This will give everyone a reason to upgrade their computers.
After speaking with these experts, I regained some confidence in VR. Then I looked for a game to play now. Most of them feel like mobile games, and breakthrough titles are rare.
Still, the outlook is positive. Facebook recently released the wireless Oculus Go, and HTC followed with the Vive Focus. Plus, games like "Skyrim VR" show promise and give us hope for the future of VR.
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