cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

So... is VR Mainstream yet??

Zenbane
MVP
MVP
For those who have been around since the CV1 release (and even those around for the DK1 days), you've probably noticed that the question of VR being mainstream has been asked every single year. Even now as we approach the year 2020, the question is still posed across various VR discussion groups.

From my perspective, this forum has always reflected the current state of VR as a whole (not just the state of Oculus and Facebook VR).

There's no denying that with the release of Quest and the Link, now more than ever on this forum's history has so much daily high-traffic discussion transpired. For me personally, I am enjoying going from a daily contributor to a passive lurker of the ongoing discussions.

With that in mind, I figured now might be another fun time to ask the question: Is VR finally mainstream? Or is there more to go?

This is meant to be posed as a light-hearted question/discussion. Not fuel any sort of negative rhetoric or debate.
97 REPLIES 97

PhoenixSpyder
Rising Star
-From a gaming perspective...to state just a few givens, VR would need to be better than any high frame rate monitor and do things visually better than anything that can be done on a monitor - currently 'a no go'...and a long way away from it. Even though VR does bring new experiences that can't be done on a monitor, many people just don't want to put something on their head or experience the vomit inducing experiences that are currently present with the tech. There are a lot of biased people who just don't want to try it or see it a gimic or a passing fad. That's a lot of hurtles to overcome!!!

-from an industry perspective, there is a lot potential here and much is happening but the tech is either to expensive presently or there is not enough interest as of yet. There is already parts of movies where VR is used to create what is to be seen. There is already other technology being created in VR due to the hands on experience, but this type of VR is very expensive. Real Estate, Porn industry are a few others where VR will make the experience for each that much better but still only a small amount of users compared to other types.

-as a developer, Vr has a long way to go before overtaking pancake, even though dev'ing in VR is a blast. I'm thinking...maybe...5 years away from becoming mainstream (but still not overtaking pancake), probably more though.

i7 8700k; 5ghz (water cooled), Asus Rog Strix Z370-E Gaming, Corsair 270R case, EVGA 3090 FTW3 Ultra, 32 GB Corsair Veng DDR4 2666 Ghz, Adata SX900 SSD, 1TB M.2 SSD, Adata Su800 SSD, Adata SU650 SSD, BarraCuda 2TB HD, Toshiba 3tB HD, Rift (dead), Rift S, Win 10 Pro 2004, Inateck KT4006 USB3.0

BeastyBaiter
Superstar
VR may eventually become ubiquitous but I think that's a long ways off. Right now it's more of a niche gaming peripheral like a high end HOTAS system, racing wheel or a 144Hz+ monitor. It can be profitable and within certain segments, the norm. But overall it won't be something most people have. I do think VR has changed the racing/flying sim community forever though. It will never go back to pancake mode and any game in those two genres that lack VR are DOA for PC.

bigmike20vt
Visionary

inovator said:


I dont know if you remember why betamax failed. Its interesting. I chose the VCR because the recording time on betamax was only 2 hours. I loved the 6 hours that vcr allowed. If index had inside out tracking that would be a buy for me. 


I always thought it was in part because the adult entertainment industry embraced VHS for some reason (could be wrong)

as for 6 hrs....... is this true?  my memory is probably failing me but i thought Betamax was well and truly dead by the time long play VHS recorders came out.
I never owned one, my mates parents did however..... our was a top loader VHS with a wired remote control..... and pretty sure the max tape length supported on it was only 2 or 3 hrs.

-----

VR may eventually become ubiquitous but I think
that's a long ways off. Right now it's more of a niche gaming
peripheral like a high end HOTAS system, racing wheel or a 144Hz+
monitor.
------

This is an interesting view. I agree VR is not a million miles from a racing wheel, gaming monitor or hotas...... The question then is, is a racing wheel mainstream or a tiny niche.
I would say it is somewhere in the middle - which is where I think VR is now, somewhere in the middle between the 2 points of "VR is almost there and VR is far from mainstream".
Either way I dont think it is that important.  The important thing is whether or not VR is big enough to be profitable..... and my hope is that it is almost there.
Fiat Coupe, gone. 350Z gone. Dirty nappies, no sleep & practical transport incoming. Thank goodness for VR 🙂

Anonymous
Not applicable
I say we are better off to assume VR is not mainstream yet as I can not still ask some random guy if they own a VR headset or a VR game yet. Even when you do - people give you a weird look off and on. Sure, they know what VR is like from the movies, books, or even the ads on TV. Short of that, a lot people just havent touch it still. Out of 5 being mainstream - VR still at a 2.5 range. Still need them big titles like Half Life A and Boneworks to release and then follow that up with some remakes for VR then I think some of it will change. Esp when Link hits with the cable and as the software gets better we will find more people take up VR either for stand alone or for PCVR. 

I think we can call it mainstream by 2021 though as we should start to get a scale of products in a range define by product releases. I am sure GO 2 will be updated to be very close to what Quest 1 is right now with some things missing such as the controllers to keep the price down to match their lowest price point while we will see used Quest 1s on Ebay selling as the lowest entry into VR from a stand alone point and with support with Link allowing to age like fine wine.

RedRizla
Honored Visionary


VR may eventually become ubiquitous but I think that's a long ways off. Right now it's more of a niche gaming peripheral like a high end HOTAS system, racing wheel or a 144Hz+ monitor. It can be profitable and within certain segments, the norm. But overall it won't be something most people have. I do think VR has changed the racing/flying sim community forever though. It will never go back to pancake mode and any game in those two genres that lack VR are DOA for PC.



I often think why people think VR needs to sell millions of headsets before it's classed as success.. For example, I paid £400 for a Warhog Hotas joystick that is used for my flight sims, but this joystick only really models itself on the A10C. I can't see that the Warhog Hotas has sold millions, but I do still consider it a success that people rave about even today.

So even if VR ended up being used by people for just Sims. Why wouldn't it still be a success? Why does VR have to sell by the bucket load to continue?

jayhawk
Superstar
I don't think VR will ever become mainstream. I do believe AR will though.

inovator
Consultant

RedRizla said:



VR may eventually become ubiquitous but I think that's a long ways off. Right now it's more of a niche gaming peripheral like a high end HOTAS system, racing wheel or a 144Hz+ monitor. It can be profitable and within certain segments, the norm. But overall it won't be something most people have. I do think VR has changed the racing/flying sim community forever though. It will never go back to pancake mode and any game in those two genres that lack VR are DOA for PC.



I often think why people think VR needs to sell millions of headsets before it's classed as success.. For example, I paid £400 for a Warhog Hotas joystick that is used for my flight sims, but this joystick only really models itself on the A10C. I can't see that the Warhog Hotas has sold millions, but I do still consider it a success that people rave about even today.

So even if VR ended up being used by people for just Sims. Why wouldn't it still be a success? Why does VR have to sell by the bucket load to continue?


Success is a vague word. It means different things to different people. Mainstream is a more precise word. A company may sell enough of something to make a living. That may be defined as a success. To be mainstream you need enough sales on a consistant basis and an on ongoing bases. Examples: game consoles: computers cellphones, tvs keyboards guitars hell even a knife and fork is mainstream.

inovator
Consultant

jayhawk said:

I don't think VR will ever become mainstream. I do believe AR will though.


 Ar and vr will be combined depending what you want at the moment. Both will be mainstream. Devices will be so small and light weight and avatars will be so real that vr won't be isolating unless you want it to be. I do agree that ar will be more popular, but vr will be popular enough to be mainstream.

Nekto2
Superstar

Zenbane said:
I'm okay with that. VR needs to be used for more than just gaming.


I'll agree.
But it is not yet there for ordinary computing needs.

   VR have no Copy&Paste!

😄
And almost no multitasking. You can't "Alt+Tab" from one VR app to other instantly (except for Dash).
Every PC and mobile OS have Copy&Paste and multitasking. There is partial multitasking on some of mobile OS (part of app is unloaded from memory, but services are still running for chats, mail and network updates).

You will not need Copy&Paste for gaming. You can't copy a weapon or ammo from one game and paste it to other game.
😄
But for mail/chat/web editing/programming/spread sheets/text editing/etc it is a must have feature.

VR is mainstream for culture. Most people will not be surprised to see VR in a movie, book or picture.
VR is a good known tool for enterprise. You will not be surprised of an educational or advertisement VR project. I have seen those uses myself. It is good replacement for notebook with projector and screen if you need to present something outside of a city without electricity and  dark room (agriculture, travel, parks....)
VR is good for LBE.

But for home use it is not mainstream yet. Until we see sales numbers for devices and apps freely available from any VR company. 😉
But some day it will be.

And.... are you all posting to this forum from VR? Why not? VR is not ready to write a web post? Not enough comfort?
😄

Richooal
Consultant

Nekto2 said:

And.... are you all posting to this forum from VR? Why not? VR is not ready to write a web post? Not enough comfort?
😄



Are you serious? VR doesn't have to do everything to be mainstream.

If I ever get to the stage where I put on a VR headset to write a 2d post on a forum ....... just shoot me ffs.
i5 6600k - GTX1060 - 8GB RAM - Rift CV1 + 3 Sensors - 1 minor problem
Dear Oculus, If it ain't broke, don't fix it, please.