Will VR Gaming Ever Become Mainstream?

/ virtualinsider

[@ThyTrueNightmare]

I think the only thing prevent VR becoming mainstream is the games, we need more studios trying to full length VR games. I mean I want to open a studio myself but it will be a few good years before I even attempt anything

[@EzeRivas]

is not only that.... if you cant stream it properly, you cant sell it.

[@VR_AR_MR_XR_Enthusiast]

@@EzeRivas I also think another main reason. is that alot of People are Lazy... as he siad in the video.

[@kidzorro]

Yes, we need more expansive games and more cross-over ports, that make VR so good that it discourages a return to traditional gaming. The idea of a social metaverse needs to succeed as well. However, that comes with its own problems.

[@crassianleviathan6187]

​@@kidzorroHow do you get a social metaverse to succeed when people don't want to be social?

[@randomdude9630]

VR will one day become mainstream but its gonna take a couple years so probably 2030 for it to happen

[@asterlofts1565]

True.

[@redeye24657]

I also agree

[@user-bi5vw1br1h]

I am hearing this since 2013 and state of vr is only getting worse

[@crashdude7589]

@@user-bi5vw1br1h VR is at its peak right now, the quest 2 sold over 20 million units, the only reason you think its bad right now is because people own a quest and not a PCVR headset

[@tylerdurden6917]

That’s not a couple years that’s a decade or a few years

[@robperin5365]

I'm a big Half Life fan, so when they came out with HL Alyx, well, I wasn't going to let that go by, and bought my first VR headset. I was looking for cheap headset and did my research. Well, I wound up with a Quest 2, and so glad I did. I have a dedicated 6g router just for my computer and headset, and with the latest patch (v55 with v66 rolling out now) the performance boost in cpu and gpu, makes this almost 3 years old headset, relevant today. Nothing beats playing PC VR wirelessly. The Quest 2 is the best bang for the buck by far, and so will be the Q3. As for VR becoming mainstream, yes it will, but must include AR in those stats. Damn, sorry for talking so much.

[@dharkbizkit]

to be honest, beeing tethered never bothered me at all. my priority is visual experience. vr and the effect is cool and nice, but it doesnt carry all the weight for me. compression artefacts, blurry vision, sde, resolution, thats whats important to me. i know iam not the reference here. iam 38, playing games since i was 8 years old. i know the signs of it beeing a game and thats what has to leave in order for me to fully enjoy it. people are different in that regard. some feel immersion broken as soon as they see their virtual hand pass through an object. that doesnt affect me at all. but seeing low poly models, or sde or pixel, remindes me every second iam in vr, that its just a game and thus i dont react accordingly

[@Judie-Nator]

At the very least, I hope we get some more VR bangers soonish.... I really hope Sony can do something with the PSVR2, because if gaming's anywhere, it should be there. Hopefully the sony devs are cooking up something. We really need an Astro Bot 2 or a port of Half Life Alyx

[@Hamachingo]

I think commercially, the PSVR2 has been a failure so far. I believe they do something right with games that are made for the flatscreen but also work for the headset for more immersion and hand interaction if you want to.

[@JonAS-MR]

I don’t think random single player titles will cause mass adoption in VR. The majority of gamers play COD, not because it’s perfect, but because it has a well dialed-in unlock grind. All devs need to do is take a game like contractors with a good base for shooting mechanics, then focus their work on adding lots of weapons and attachments, then copy COD leveling system. The grind gives people a reason to keep playing, it gives them a goal to think of and anticipate when the headset is off.

[@Nobody-Nowhere]

The issue is that contractors is slow, COD is fast. VR games are too slow, look at any random gun battle in pavlov etc.. its just awkward. VR:s biggest problem is that it tries to make everything into a simulator. That's not what people want, they want to be superhuman. Like these running treadmills, just pure stupidity. You get exhausted instantly if you try to run the amount you need to run in a regular COD game. Its impossible to do any of that in real life, they are not realistic games.. and thats why people like them.

[@JonAS-MR]

@@Nobody-Nowhere I agree that a game being slow is a turn off for an average gamer, I was using contractors as an example of a game that has good shooting mechanics and a platform for weapon customization. There are great mods on contractors that let you get very detailed in your weapon modifications, but they’re only mods and don’t have unlock trees. I think unlock trees are one of the secrets to how addicting modern games are, if VR titles implemented something similar I think they’d be a hit.

[@maniacatthecontrols]

I'm the opposite - I'm only interested in buying VR games. Normal games are just flat and unrealistic. You described VR as isolating but again I think it's the opposite. I've made loads of friends in VR and met people from 29 different countries. I'm still using a Rift and it is comfortable. I wear it for hours with no complaints. It's one of the best things I've ever owned.

[@slickshewz]

They've sold over 20 million quests alone. The quest 2 was also on Oprah's top Christmas gifts list. You don't get much more mainstream.

[@abcuughklkj]

ye and if not yet then this xmas is gonna push it harder

[@VirtualBroVR]

Great video! I think you’re totally right as to why VR isn’t mainstream yet, despite people like me who love it more than traditional gaming. I do think that people tend to blame the hardware more than they should, considering that indie VR devs are able to accomplish so much on Quest with such little resources.

[@PixelShade]

I asked my brother, who is a family father of 3, He is very similar to me, he loves video games and is seriously impressed by HL:Alyx on my Reverb G2, but even if VR-headsets become insanely cheap and and have zero drawbacks he probably still wouldn't get one due to the fact that he is always surrounded by family and he wants to stay connected with them. When the kids have gone to bed he and his wife have some time together, he rather spend that on something they could both do. It might be just how he lives his life, they do A LOT of things together. But I think the idea of isolating yourself from the world is both the biggest strength and drawback of VR. Not to mention "the level of entry". For my brother A Steam Deck is much better suited to his life. He can easily get in and out of games and still stay connected to those around him.

[@ruwas369]

I hope people in the future would appreciate the family time and human connection like your borther does!

[@skol_sem_som]

Lately it's been driving me absolutely mad that nobody seems to notice the fact that VR hardware isn't being sold worldwide by manufacturers. VR is not mainstream because no company ever tried a mainstream scale of distribution. You can buy a PC anywhere in the world. You can buy a PlayStation anywhere in the world. You can buy an Xbox anywhere in the world. You can buy a Switch anywhere in the world. You can buy a Quest in just 23 countries, most of which with small populations. Even less for Index and Pico. Why would a AAA studio make a VR game, with a completely different paradigm, if the manufacturers sell the hardware only to a handful of countries? Influencers MUST pressure Valve, Meta, Pico, etc to expand worldwide sales outside of their own yards.

[@steamedhamsvr282]

as a guy on the older side of the VR userbase I can undoubtedly say, YES, yes it will. The kids love it.

[@mattsmith8160]

A couple of things have to happen first. Pixel density needs tightening up. Increasing screen resolution doesn't really get rid of the screen door effect because currently they can only cram the pixels so close together and the only way to get higher resolution is to just make a bigger screen but we'd still be able to see the gaps between the pixels which is why it looks like looking through a screen door. That and prices need to come down like a lot so it'll take a while to be sure.

[@TuTAH_1]

Other thing of preventing people of buying VR is the VR promotions are always shown in a huge empty (sparsely furnished) rooms and using absourdly tiny placespace of it. It's really one of the reasons - often when I talk about VR, people say "I don't have enough space for it" and I always have to explain that they don't need having a mansion to use VR. Still in 2022 there's no 3d boundaries, player position in boundary is still 2D and very limited. I would like to be able: create a 3D objects of playspace to not hit them, have a setting of showing distance seperatly for controllers and headset, tweak transparency, make colors dirrefent, depending on VR image (if it's dark, make boundaries more transparent, if too light, make it more distinguishable). So, you can include low-furnitures (like bed, chairs, couch etc) in playspace that'd increase it significally, since it just enough space for streighten your arm forward and shoot a pistol or swing a sword. For now you can't do it with boundaries - you either disclude it from playspace and always see boundaries, either include it and hitting them with a little toe. It would be easily fixed if there were an option to create a box in playsapce and make it react only on headset Also, when I was new in VR and had CV1, I always had a problem of I don't know where to move when see boundaries - ex. I pulled back to near to the wall, see the boundaries in the front and thinking I near to the wall in the front, I step back even more and hit the furniture (in modern headssets you can see a passthrough when you near boundaries, what helps a lot). The boundaries is still so shitty, it's safer to disable them and use (seperate for VR) carpet as a playspace. The problem then is that with active games, the carpet can be moved imperceptibly

[@TheRinguDinku5454]

I will keep on saying this, standalone is a MUST for the future, that and a wider field of view, if you want more gamers to buy the headsets.

[@Popesta]

i think his last point is what stops me jumping in vr more often and i think a big barrier to vr becoming mainstream. When i get home from work i'm too tired to do swing my arms around let alone doing any sort of roomscale. If all vr games had a gamepad option I, and i think many others would play vr much more often. This along with the fact that there is not enough diversity with genres and themes of games. VR is predominantly a platform for zombie/horror gamers and sim racers.

[@BlackLionWolf]

Most of the most incredible experiences I have had in VR come from sitting down. It is 90% of what most games use. I play 3D shooters with VR controllers while sitting down. It doesn't require much physical effort but it does need one to have strong "VR legs". (Teleportation is for new folks in VR). If anything, "roomscale vr" is a gimmick. It requires way too much space and just doesn't offer that much for people in general. Its more of something you do with a group or with family on rare occasions. Simple standing VR games like walkabout golf and others are the only exceptions where it makes sense to deviate from sitting down. The gamepad style VR just doesn't translate as well because it is far less interactive. At a minimum you need the 6dof controllers to make it worth your time. (MotherVR is an exception to this).

[@Popesta]

@@BlackLionWolf try alien isolation with the vr mod and gamepad. Won't take long before you dont even notice your using a gamepad. I would never want them to only support gamepads. I just wish it was there as an option in all vr games. I just want to veg on the couch after work mostly.Not be swinging my arms and trying to sword fight and hit things

[@Gianderzoon]

my fav vr channel ur voice is the most nicest of all vr channels to me

[@akiosterrdev]

The only thing that prevents me from playing my Quest 2 a lot more is the intense motion sickness I feel everytime, its a huge buzzkill, I cant even finish half life which is my favorite game of all time

[@virtualinsider]

Thats a good point and something I didnt even think about.

[@HybridEnergy]

Make sure never to play on an empty stomach, specially after caffeine. When you feel sickness , don't power through but take a break. I used to get motion sick back in 2016 and now nothing can sweep me off my legs in VR anymore.

[@TimsFPVundROVfootage]

For me motionsickness was pretty much gone when I was using it on a regular basis, but for a few months I didn't touch it anymore....the other day I was showing VR a mate which is interested in getting one for himself and all of a sudden the motionsickness kicked in after like 20 minutes of playtime, it literally made me sick the REST OF THE DAY ... massive headache and close to womiting + increased sweating. Really annoying to get motionsickness 😫

[@Alex-jx8ez]

VR conversion mods are saving the genre. Currently playing half life 2 vr. one word. WOW.

[@virtualinsider]

I agree, im in the middle of making a video about this subject.

[@feraligatorade99]

makes me hate capcom for making RE7/8 VR exclusive to sony

[@TheSurfheart]

You nailed it, great discussion.

[@bmackVR]

Great video! But I do think a viable path forward for VR is flatscreen games with VR modes. In my opinion we need more multiplayer games like this. Stuff like Phasmophobia, DEVOUR, GT7, and even now DRG. When you are a VR player in those games playing with flat screen people and you start talking, a lot of the response is Holy shit your doing this in VR? What is that like? I think its an organic way to grow the medium and have VR multiplayer games with healthy communities. And you can do this easily on both PCVR and PSVR 2.

[@reygar80]

it took about 35 years for flat screen gaming to become mainstream. gonna take some time.

[@mamefan]

Why not more like 15 years? NES was big.

[@reygar80]

@@mamefan nothing like it is now.

[@crashdude7589]

were currently at the atari 2600/ intellivision stage of VR right now, some would say NES, just because quest 2 sold so much but i sitll dont think we are there yet.

[@mamefan]

@@crashdude7589 NES/Famicon is 62M sold.

[@BlackLionWolf]

I am convinced that you are correct. I think a lot of people don't even know that VR exists and even if they do they just simply have no idea what it currently offers. If they knew, they would stop buying large TVs and home theater systems entirely. I also think VR scares people off. Its so immersive that people actually don't want to be that deep...at least not at first.

[@Sercil00]

What stopped me from buying VR glasses is the space it requires. I'd have to move furniture around every time. I even tire of playing regular games I enjoy. Minecraft literally has a launcher that starts another launcher which starts the game. There's like 8 loading screens and a dozen clicks before I'm inside the game. Many AAA titles force you to sit through numerous unskippable logos and 1-3 lengthy loading screens before you're in the game. Some days, I can't even motivate myself to sit through all of this. So there's no way I'll dismantle my couch and move it around before every play session.

[@virtualinsider]

You can play VR games seated, you dont need as much space as people think

[@mamefan]

That's why there's artificial locomotion. No one has enough room to completely walk around in games. You can sit in one spot and walk around (left analog) or teleport in the game. It's very rare for a game to require you to physically walk around, but there are a few like that.

[@StubbyPhillips]

@@virtualinsider Indeed. It's a bit of a mystery to me why so many people seem to think that you HAVE to do the room scale thing to enjoy VR. I guess it's just because when it first became possible it was so amazing that we sort of forgot there was any other way. Depends on what you're doing, of course. I do believe this notion does keep some people away.

[@GreenBlueWalkthrough]

6:56 That's the biggest mover of PC VR headsets though like in the simming continuity getting a headset to play your favorite simulators more is the key selling point... I have an OG Rift because of that very reason to play genres, games I already play but in VR like shooters which while having the same game loop is vastly different in VR.

[@rbdshadow7272]

VR is basically mainstream at this point... It's the lack of games that makes the player-count low though

[@libertarianterminator]

I think the fact that you have to stand up to get the most out of VR is why this is so hard to sell. People use gaming to relax usually and playing VR is like exercising or going to hike. It's nice, you actually feel better because you stand up on your feet instead of laying down lethargically, but not even I play VR most of the time, just when I now I have a lot of free time and energy to immerse myself into it.

[@StubbyPhillips]

Yeah, some people seem to think you have to be standing *all* the time, but I'm seated about 90% of the time I'm in VR. Room scale is great but only really required for certain things. Just depends on what you like to do and how you like to do it.

[@libertarianterminator]

@@StubbyPhillips Sim games work well with seated play. I've been playing a lot of VTOL VR and I love it. Even if it is made by 1 one guy and the textures are simple, the mechanics are on point. Shooters though, I don't want to play them sitting down. IDK if high budget is what we need, as much as longer length and... idk there is still that something that is missing. Hope I can figure it out by making my own VR games.

[@laartwork]

That's why the Original Oculus didn't even factor in room scale or even controllers. It was assumed people would take sitting. It's so not the way to VR.

[@StubbyPhillips]

@@laartwork So... there's only "one way" got it. Thanks.

[@libertarianterminator]

@@laartwork things change and new ways are always found. CPUs didn't have more cores either until recently and here we are. Go with the flow or sink.

[@S1MONSAYSVR]

This is and interesting topic. I have become a VR enthusiast, but after the VR wow factor died of, my friends who got their headset jumped off. I stayed because this style of gaming resonated with me. And beeing seated all day for work, I've found VR gaming and VR fitness to be great "excuses" to not just continue to sit on the couch at home with a controller in my hands. I think my friends who initially bought headsets to play on them found out its was too cumbersome to put on. Although they all bought Quest 1's, they still had that friction of use, frontheavy, had to setup guardian, there was no BIG games at that point either. Complained about their feet hurt while playing etc 😆 I mean, get it. After a long day at work it can feel exhausting to put on brick on your face to play a game with your mates. I on the other hand has always enjoyed VR, and will continue to do it. I hope i gets mainstream so we enthusisasts can benefit from that. But I'm also fine with it having a smaller niche community, people that follow these types of channels are clearly more passionate than "your average gamer".

[@dennisphillips9089]

It wouldn't hurt if Microsoft got on board with the X-box in VR, things would change.

[@GreenBlueWalkthrough]

I think the key is just keep making Quests as another console and have it like it does be able to be used as a PCVR headset and even help render the game for those with out great gaming PCs. Also keep pure PCVR as the wild west in terms of headsets but support needs to be there like once you by a PCVR headset it should work forever till it's heardwear breaks like the OG rift or controllers/monitors mice and keyboards.

[@evandelph8052]

Mark my words… it’s all about immersion. Anyone who’s loved and played vr for a long time understands that the immersion goes away once you get use to being in (for my experience) a quest 2 headset connected to a decently powerful pc. I’ve been trying to get into contractors showdown lately. Fun game. But the fact that I have to stand in one spot most of the time is my least favorite thing about vr. We need to combine our real life space with Vr. In the form of warehouses that have a virtual map made in 1:1 scale real life. I want to lean up against walls. I want to actually walk around in an environment. I want to hold a gunstock in my hands without having to hold controllers too. I want gunstocks with real gun recoil! Haptic vests, the whole shabang. It’s gonna happen… it’s a matter of time. We need vr to be turned into the upgraded laser tag, THE RIGHT WAY.

[@art1moose]

It will never be fully mainstream due to the fact that you need to buy extra things, but it will become more popular

[@davidknightx]

A few thoughts of mine. First, many 2D games can easily be converted for VR giving them the means to earn more money on just one game instead of relying on DLC (for example, Republique). Second, it's probably going to be the gamers who save VR. I just started playing the Half Life 2 VR mod and I'm having a blast! And after that, I have Firewatch to look forward to. Also, there's 360 videos on KZbin that are a lot of fun as is watching downloaded movies on all kinds on different screens like movie theaters or on your bigscreen TV in a high rise NY apartment during the day/evening/night with traffic outside (Virtual Desktop) making you feel like you're super rich. Also, I've seen several videos shot in 180 degree 3D. This means your entire front field of view is covered and in 3D. More than anything else I've ever tried, this gives you the closest feeling you're actually there. Some people are using it to show things many of us never would likely get to experience like Mardi Gras or going to an expensive resort somewhere. It's hard to describe, but it really tricks your brain into thinking you're not just watching a video. More like you've jumped into some strangers body and are experiencing what they see. I love being at the forefront of VR. It's just like when the internet first started. It was the wild west back then where people were free to experiment and try anything and everything.

[@edmtrip]

I've already finished HL2, HL2 : Episode One and Two, and the Firewatch vr mods and all of them were amazing. I started firewatch flat game years ago but I didnt finish it, and when I played It on VR... Wow, It was really amazing, one of my favourite VR experiences. I still have A LOT VR games to play, including HL:Alyx and damn, I really love VR after a year with my quest 2

[@htpkey]

Great video! The VR experience alone is far greater than any flatscreen experience, but there are still some compromises to VR tech. I have been an early advocate for VR for nealry a decade. The tech does improve every year, but the video quality is still not better than your average monitor or tv (it's not even equally good to them). In modern VR headsets there is still some blur (if you are looking outside the center of the lenses) and other visual defects (Mura, reprojection). You are also dealing with lower fidelity 3d worlds compared to flatscreen games. The visuals can't be as rich as flatscreen games, because the pc's and consoles need to be far more powerful to render these 3d games in VR. What's frustrating is that every time a new VR headset is released people expect it to be technically flawless and fix all the problems that previous VR headsets had. That high standard is not feasible. There are many improvements in VR tech (less motion sickness, more immersion, better tracking, better visuals, eye tracking), but also some new problems (like Mura, smaller sweetspot for the lenses, short battery for VR controllers). I love my PSVR2, but I'm also a little disappointed with some of the existing issues in the VR tech. I expected VR lenses to be a lot better by now! The very small sweetspot at the center of the lenses is unacceptable, if you look slightly outside the direct center everything is very blurry. The biggest strength of VR is the immersion. You will be so immersed in it's 3d world that you will completely forget about all these shortcomings in an instant. I also accept the price of being an early adopter. I am funding imperfect tech, hoping that enough funding will lead to more research that will hopefully lead to better tech. I do believe that VR gaming will eventually surpass flatscreen gaming, it's almost inevitable!

[@logenvestfold4143]

I think VR is on the threshold of becoming mainstream. It’ll probably become bigger than handheld gaming but not as big as home console and PC gaming. Partly due to how versatile the headsets can be, especially the AR ones, but due to motion sickness not all individuals can handle VR for long time periods.

[@longbowman7238]

this has brought my energy back. right, back to programming.

[@Joric78]

Might be a chicken and egg proposal, but the volume and quality of content will come once the price and ease of use grows the user base. Strapping these VR lunch pails to our face will hopefully soon seem even more ridiculous than the early '80s "mobile" phones seem now. I've heard Palmer Lucky say that he thought the Quest 2 was too quick a shift to the mass market, but if not for it hitting that price point I wouldn't have taken a risk on something I hadn't tried since my first underwhelming experience with crude arcade machines of the early '90s. It certainly fast tracked things. If they could get the ease of use down to a walkman style combination of bulky sunglasses (with quality passthrough and eye tracking) and modular processing and power source (I agree that Apple didn't go far enough with just having the external battery), that would also increase use cases and uptake. I think that's the missing link between where we are now and the whole spatial computing and shift to an omnipresent virtual integration with reality and the IoT. Something that's been predicted at least since '80s Cyberpunk scifi.

[@Constitek]

You are right, If high quality games don't come to Vr, it will continue to drown. We need official vr ports for AA and AAA older titles( Mount and Blade Warband with mod sport and Blade and Sorcery physics, Deus ex series, Mass effect trilogy, Vampire Masquerade Bloodlines(I know a new game is coming but Bloodlines was one of the best fps rpg's out there), etc. Converting these games would be cheaper than making a AAA vr title. But ofcourse we need software companies specialised on converting flat screen games to vr.

[@niko220491]

Tbh.. My PC is already almost always on when I'm home (and of course not asleep) and I see not much of a difference between using VD with Steam VR and PSVR2. Since you get used to it and the process goes much faster. Starting VD and Steam VR takes literally about 10s, putting on the headset and starting VD there another 30s and just launch the game. ^^

[@adas8457]

we need a very popular vr multiplayer game

[@eltadashi1]

One of the biggest problems in my opinion is that every company want to force the people to play only on their vr headset, so they release good games exclusive for their vr headset only. Nobody buys everytime a new headset just for a few games. That is what will further hurt the vr market because it is too expensive if you want to play all the games, and if this behaviour continues, the vr market will die step by step...

[@coolguyjack11]

Short answer: No Long answer: Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

[@sleonhart]

VR Gaming will never be mainstream until we have BCIs that enable SAO / Matrix type of full immersion VR. It solves every issue: comfort, motion sickness, locomotion, lazyness (no need to physically move), convenience (no setup, cables or whatever nonsense), all that while increasing immersion 100x. Question is how long until that happens? In any case, I'll happily play with the current VR stuff in the meantime even if it's just a toy in comparison to what will be true full immersion.

[@Blubbpaule]

There won't be "full dive" VR ever. There is no way we can manipulate human "data" streams in our brain in such a capacity without damaging vital organs.

[@htpkey]

​@@Blubbpaule VR similar to the Matrix is not even currently possible, so I don't know where you got the idea from that VR might damage your vital organs.

[@BlackLionWolf]

Games would be the least of your concerns if we had such technology. What is here is already amazing and so I concur with you.

[@garrithsmith799]

The goal is "Sword Art Online", or "Ready Player One" kind of VR quality. But also if you have a house of kids and each want a turn on one headset? Headset prices must drop, and yes games need improving. Bethesda, and simillar big game companies need to start investing in VR. I tried VR for the first time a few months ago, and it was amazing. Really getting close to "RP1", but it'll take many years till we get even close to "SAO".

[@kristinaF54]

I think the topic of this video is really about "what's holding VR gaming back from greater adoption by gamers" rather than will it ever become mainstream. I'm a retrogamer on 6th gen console, but I'd love to get into VR gaming. However, none of the VR headset manufacturers will offer me a headset via a payment plan; they want the cash all up front. Added to this difficulty is the cost of purchasing a powerful computer that can run VR games at the proper speed (and no, I don't already have one, nor can I pull one out of a magic hat, like tah-da!). But then there's the nonsense of having to be connected to the internet because game makers don't sell games on discs anymore, nor issue them on handy hardrives that you can purchase. My internet is so slow, if I tried downloading a triple-A game, it would take a month and the bill would be astronomical because I don't have free access with unlimited download. Oh well, I guess I'll turn on my xbox and play Halo through my self-pitying tears.

[@FiliusFidelis]

Still after, what 7? years it is the everlasting chicken or the egg problem. It jumped about 1% when Alyx came out, and has been treading water ever since, upp a bit, down a bit, upp a bit down a bit always hovering around the 2% mark on steam. This month it is at 1.73%

[@BlackLionWolf]

In the early to late 90s, not many people had computers. It took quite a bit of time to really mainstream things. The same kinds of bad thinking and bad engineering stifled the growth during that period. VR will be no different. Its going to take a lot more cooperation and a willingness to discover on the part of the consumer to get us there. People still don't yet know how much VR already offers.

[@ImmersiveGamer83]

I dream of Killzone 2 and 3 but I am a pcvr guy I know PC are getting some PS games (flat) so it could happen one day. I love the gritty world and the era and have fond memories playing on the PS3 with 3d glasses and the sharpshooter move controllers. It was kinda like VR before VR existed in the way we know it now.

[@azurewrath6625]

I hope you're able to get a psvr2 sometime soon, would love to see you making videos about it and their games.

[@user-bi5vw1br1h]

Its a dead helmet and Sony already abonded it. There was anouncements on a last e3 for it, and barely any game for it. Its dead.

[@azurewrath6625]

@@user-bi5vw1br1h it's been out 5 months and it's dead? How has Sony abandoned it, they just had a showcase showing that RE4 remake is coming out, Crossfire and Firewall in August. Synapse just released this month. More AAA games in the 5 months than the past 2 years we have gotten on any other platform.

[@arnoldlevy8170]

The problem with VR is that without trying it you can't imagine how mind blowing it is. This, and of course the price tag and everything explained in yhat video. So many people do not know VR is not just like a 3d screen. Do you have this friend you shown HL Alyx for the first time ? He was blown away like he could not even imagine something that strong. We need a way to show people how it really is.

[@robertmcmahon4549]

I love vr but Theres a few things that is holding vr back,price,bulky headsets,fov and motion sickness.also the fact its antisocial when your with family,i only use vr when everyones gone to bed as you cant interact with family in vr like you can with normal gaming.when im in vr though its awesome

[@Tropical-]

There’s definitely gonna be exclusives, using the new Chip and enhanced graphics and resolution

[@dharkbizkit]

when i hear my friends and collegues, then its: it get motion sick. i get eye strain and pain. my ipd isnt in the range. those are the 3 main reasons, that the "gaming people" in my circles, dont own their own vr system. and i can understand them. they all like the experience in vr, they all would like to spend time there, but these problems keep them from it. paying 500 bucks and then only be able to play for 10 minutes and then having to deal with discomfort isnt the way to go. price is the second in line problem. i bet, if they made a 1000dollar headset, where they dont feel motion sickness, no eye strain, not vomit town, and can be set to max comfort for them, they would be willing to spend that money.

[@tapioks]

Ayyy, good videos as per usual ... though "games" not "game's" in thumbnail pls :D

[@TheEnfo]

Another point is how to sell vr to a person who never experienced it. A lot of people seem to think it's kind of a gimmick, like you just put 2 screens on your face. You can hardly convey the feeling of immersion, of beeing in the game, through youtube videos. I have seen several users demanding to make flatscreen ports of vr games when this would make absoluteley no sense. When I see videos of the HL: Alyx flatscreen port popping up in my recommendations I can't help but ask: Yeah... but why?

[@paulgerg6879]

Often the barriers are to do with greedy network providers. When my old provider refused to give me a cheap deal, even after I threatened to leave, I ended up stuck with a slower network on a new deal at the same cost as my old, far faster deal. With the new deal, I just can't run PC games wireless. So I am back to using a cable and as I loathe cable vr because it regularly breaks my immersion, I have just stopped using my Quest 2 entirely.

[@brucerain2106]

Now that technology is more accessible and affordable we just need actual games

[@benjiebarker]

I only play contractors vr now…nothing comes close to reloading weapons like in real life 😊

[@Nobody-Nowhere]

only if it moves into seated games direction, and comes up with proper ways to actually control games

[@BlackLionWolf]

I would argue that with PCVR mods and VR games in general, the controller setups have now been defined. This was a problem more in 2016 and not so much since 2022. Unless someone develops true VR gloves, these standards are here to stay.

[@Nobody-Nowhere]

@@BlackLionWolf I dont think, the moving around with thumbtacks is horrible.. the VR controllers are overall really bad.

[@ozten]

I disagree that price is the most important factor. I think comfort, "just works", and social alienation are the most important factors. Today you have to strap a tissue box to your face, so your roommate or family can't see your eyes. Then the thing is updating so you wait 2 minutes. Then the tracking is messed up so you re-boot. Stand-alone VR was a massive step forward. I think Apple's VisionOS will set a new standard for ease of use. Presence in VR is so powerful when done well, that people will pay anything for the golden ticket. Maybe in the next generation of headsets with retina PPD and a Bigscreen form factor we arrive at good enough VR.

[@MojoRisingTV]

Yes, i just bought an Index. VR Revolution is Now.

[@conejeitor]

One day personal computing will consist on putting on some sunglases. Then VR will be mainstream. 20 years from now, at least.

[@dtz1000]

It takes too long to get started in VR. You have to boot it up only to find that it needs charging. I just end up playing a casual game on my phone as it take seconds to get into it. It would also help if they stopped giving us LCD headsets as LCD is rubbish for VR.

[@RusticRaver]

good resume

[@SjaakSchulteis]

Don't think it will be mainstream but it is here to stay and will be part of modern society. I play approximately one two two hours in VR if I have a good game to play like Skyrim VR. Mostly I use the Pico4 for that and the Quest for fittnes (because I had the programs long before I bought the Pico4). Most of the time I prefer the Pico4.

[@SimplexPL]

I love VR and I'd love to see it go mainstream, but my answer to the question is "no". There's too much friction and too much isolation form outside world for the majority of gamers to embrace it.

[@mamefan]

Agreed

[@SuperballsSupervidsOnYT]

I think, and maybe due to the fact that the VRChat crowd seem to mostly socialize digitally anyway, the isolation factor is often ignored by a lot of VR users. I love my VR, but I have a wife and kids. I can watch a movie on a huge screen all by myself, or on my 65" OLED with my family. I can play mario, sonic, or whatever with my kid, or play VR games all by myself. Multiplayer in VR is tedious in terms of "couch co-op", and is almost forcibly online only.

[@BlackLionWolf]

But to push back only so slightly in regards to the isolation part: How is it that much different from focusing on playing a game on a flatscreen? People have argued that flatscreen gaming is isolating already. But these arguments only hold water if one is truly neglecting life's duties. The next line of VR devices are integrating AR into the mix so you will see more of the world around you if need be during a gaming experience. But, when we go see a movie we dedicate everything to the screen in front of us as the lights darken in the theater. Playing a game is no different, it requires concentration. When you watch a movie on tv in one's family room...it still requires your attention. So, no...I don't buy into the isolation argument because it can be used in any context. And again, the Apple Vision pro literally addresses this on the hardware level. But the friction argument is one that is definitely true. It all needs to be cheaper, faster, and more comfortable.

[@SimplexPL]

@@BlackLionWolf"How is it that much different from focusing on playing a game on a flatscreen?" When you are playing a VR game you are COMPLETELY cut off from seeing the outside world - when you play a video game on a TV you are not - you can immediately react if someone is nearby - so it's a flawed comparison. When playing VR you have a physical object blocking your vision on your face. Would a person playing a flat game not notice someone coming into their space, or hit someone unconsciosuly while playing?

[@BlackLionWolf]

@@SimplexPL It’s definitely not a flawed comparison. You are taking such an extreme position on the idea of isolation. It’s as if someone couldn’t tap you on the shoulder or speak to you with the headset on…which they can. We shall agree to disagree. Also, the quest 2 has sensors that let you know when someone is in your play space already. It’s called space sense and it’s been out for quite a long time. I already addressed the fact that new tech will be able to integrate one’s immediate environment with a full AR experience starting with the Quest 3. This is something already possible with the Quest Pro. When you play a flatscreen game, you concentration is on that game. When you are reading a book, your concentration is on that book. These can be isolating in a sense. But, just like when someone needs you you look up, so too you can take the headset off when someone enters your play space when the sensors notify you. Let’s not make it seem like you can’t take off the headset.

[@ivana6141]

Would have been happy if the only improvement with the quest 3 was higher fov.

[@En1gmatic1]

I don't think it will ever get mainstream from a gaming console perspective. I think it has had or may have a random spike "craze" like Nintendo wii...xbox kinnecy or even fads like yoyos and beanie babies in the 90s, but i dont think it has lasting power to stay mainstream like traditional gaming. If anything gaming will have it's Niche hardcore following. But it's much like the larp or cosplay crowd. It takes that level and similar enthusiasm to really be a VR enthusiast. It takes a certain "fantasy/active" personality type to get hooked to it. Anything that has true staying power and mass adoption has 1 thing in common. It makes life EASIER and lets us be lazy. Smartphones, video game consoles, the internet. It all made it easier to do less and consume more. VR forces you to get up and do stuff. It's like any recreational hobbiest, theres snowboarders, people who golf, people who dance..VR is another hobbiest category

[@thelastcobraa]

We need more software instead of hardware for vr to go mainstream we need a game/app that is only possible in vr … and whatever that is has to be amazing ! once that happens vr blows up!! 2030s is the decade reality blurs.

[@jadedrac0]

It’s up to the game developers to take the risk. One game I wish so bad was on psvr2 is dead space. I have no interest in remakes in with better graphics but if you give me a remake with vr support such as re4 for psvr2. It gives a completely new experience to enjoy the game.

[@DiamondDepthYT]

There's tons of people here saying that VR's biggest downside is the fact that most games require standing. Couldn't be further from the truth. Like 80% of vr games are perfectly playable sitting, hell there's even quite a bit of games that require sitting. For me at least, I'd say one of the biggest reasons VR hasn't caught on is size and comfort. To put it simply: yes, vr headsets are getting slimmer and smaller, but, right now, we're still at the point where it's much easier and nicer to not wear an annoying headset than to do so. Once vr gets to the point where headsets are truly glasses-sized, I feel that's when it can become far more mainstream. If you get what I mean.

[@blawalgames4790]

i hope it will, just imagine more vr support in games or more vr games(portal vr)

[@mickynick9888]

VR will definitely become mainstream it's just going to take a few years before we have affordable tech and figure out a better control system.

[@CyrilFR67]

vr is a niche gaming thing and thats ok

[@Homosexual_Harley]

The biggest reason is simply because 90% of AAA devs still think of vr as a fad

[@feraligatorade99]

i think most gamers are repulsed at the prospect of physical activity, so outside of flight/driving sims (which are already pretty niche), vr is unlikely to become mainstream.

[@StubbyPhillips]

I REALLY REALLY REALLY want to buy another HMD, but not enough choice for PCVR *_without_* useless stuff like AR/passthrough and standalone (a.k.a. "toy" headsets) and crappy LCD displays.

[@BlackLionWolf]

Literally almost all the current PCVR headsets have LCD displays (Bigscreen Beyond being the upcoming exception). The Quest 2 display has a slightly better resolution to the index but it has a lower FOV. The quest 2 can function as mediator between standalone and PCVR. Its the reason it has been the clear winner. But I agree with you in the sense that we need these devices to be a hell of a lot better and right now they are lacking. I look forward to the future.

[@StubbyPhillips]

@@BlackLionWolf Bigscreen Beyond is the only one who _almost_ got it right, but they felt they had to do the expensive "bespoke" fit thing. Seems like a pivot point at the nose, adjustable IPD and 2 or 3 standard cushion sizes would have been a better choice. The Apple phone scan thing is also a *HUGE problem* for some of us for various reasons. Also if you don't have Index lighthouses and controllers the already insane price is even insaner. Even if you do have those things, how much longer can they _possibly_ last? There's a huge, glaring hole in the market for a DECENT, _inexpensive,_ NON-LCD PCVR HMD without ANY of the "bells and whistles" like standalone, AR, passthrough, eye tracking and whatever. Essentially an affordable, self tracking version of Bigscreen Beyond. Somebody *PLEASE* jump in and fill this gap! For a while there I was hoping this was what Valve was up to, but that seems unlikely or they would have done it years ago. The first thing that needs to happen though is people need to *STOP SETTLING* for LCD! (And NO, LCD with lots of little backlight zones just IS NOT good enough.)

[@BlackLionWolf]

@@StubbyPhillips You make some great points here. To be fair, it would not be that difficult to arrange a meeting to use the Apple phone scan for the facial interface. In fact, I believe the company can help set that up for potential customers last I read (don’t quote me on this though heh). But, you are right in the sense that there is too much of a high cost of entry for it on top of needing older light house tech from valve or htc. For the cost here it’s just not feasible. It’s funny that you mention not liking LCD tech. I completely understand. I have been playing the Resident Evil 2 remake in VR with my old Rift CV1. I know, I know…the resolution is terrible. But the black levels and colors are so much better that I can actually stomach the loss in clarity. I even loaded up big screen vr and watched an old episode of an anime and I noticed that the contrast from the OLED screen made the “theater experience” feel more real.

[@StubbyPhillips]

@@BlackLionWolf Oh I get that!! Index is my daily driver, but I too have been *SO* tempted to hook up the old Oculus Rift/CV1 lately. That thing looked great all things considered and is super lightweight and *SERIOUSLY comfortable.* You know, I think I'll do that. Thanks for the nudge! Most people understand LCD's inability to produce true black, but that also means they can't produce saturated dark colors. Bright saturated colors are less of a problem because of the relatively small percentage of leakage, but as things get darker, that putrid gray funk where black should be just mutes and muddies the colors more and more. It's time to let go of that early '90s tech so let's just move on and say R.I.P. to LCD.

[@kordelas2514]

I still see it as an arcade type of novelty like Alien: Descent VR (2018) for example. Not something I would like to use on daily basis.

[@robrobusa]

VR will never become as popular and widespread as flatscreen console or pc games, nor will those ever become as mainstream as mobile games. It's a matter of relaxation and ease-of-use. VR will always be a little more of a hurdle to hop into than a flatscreen pc game or even more of a hurdle to hop into than a mobile game. Also many people want to relax to a sitting experience where you only move your thumbs, maybe you can lie down on the couch even. I'm not saying VR isn't relaxing - i love VR and i enjoy it tremendously. But I just feel like those are the main hurdles - VR doesn't scratch the same itch as some of those other options. VR is amazing at full immersion, but it does come at a cost of usability and comfort.

[@AkoramericaBlogspot]

VR gaming is a niche because there is already the dominant gaming entertainment medium with the lowest possible buyin effort possible to achieve.

[@johnmann7o2]

It’s not mainstream yet because: 1. VR discomfort and sickness causes low adoption- need Apple Headset to succeed. They are doing it right with high quality experience MR first then gaming 2nd for better adoption. 2. Low hardware sales/usage= low user base = no dev support. Carmack even said lots of quest 2 collecting dust 3. Low VR game units sold- check Alyx sales figure compared to original HL. Why big developers wont support VR yet. 4. Mobile VR are games are crap quality. 5. High quality PCVR experience need a 4090 and AAA modded games which require tinkering and many new comers can’t be bothered with. We are at the frontier of this tech and soon it will become mainstream once these improve VR experience > VR adoption > HMD units sold > game unit sold > high quality games

[@El-Burrito]

I think a lot of it is down to price and space. I think a lot of people are struggling with money so they can't afford expensive peripherals and the space to adequately use them. I think Devs/investors know this. They could invest in incredible games to attract people to the platforms, but why bother when most can't afford it and they can just nickle and dime regular 2D gamers.

[@BlackLionWolf]

Space is not needed for the majority of spectacular vr experiences that I have had. Roomscale VR is a gimmick and should not be the expectation for the consumer for the reasons you laid out and I concur with. Nor should roomscale be the default for any developer looking to make lots of money in VR.

[@jungleboy1]

No, simply because the uptake is very low with lack of content and support. People have to go out of their way to actually use VR. At least with a TV you can have it play in the background whilst you're doing other shit, but with VR u need to be in it all the time. Not everyone can walk/run or have a screen in their eyes for prolong periods of time. Its like why do people go to cinema anymore when they can sit and watch it at home kinda thing, similar concept with VR.

[@djp1234]

I think it will become mainstream thanks to Apple. Apple won't do gaming, but it will get people to finally realize the potential of VR. Then the whole computer industry will follow Apple, like always. Big game companies will finally pull their heads out of their asses and realize that this is the future of gaming.

[@TheEnfo]

I would be very very very suprised if the Apple Vision Pro doesn't fail. Yes, the people of the fruit cult will problaby rip it out of the shelves, but I just can't image who else this thing is for. Apple is not interested in vr, but in ar. Let's see if my comment ages like milk.

[@djp1234]

@@TheEnfo yeah right now it does look like it's going to fail because they're repeating Meta's Quest Pro mistake. No one cares about virtual TV and computer screens. People want virtual reality.

[@RogueNerdy]

every one is just aiming for high-end and insane markups..

[@scottd7222]

Honestly.. ive got PSVR2 and its my first go at it. Games are cool but novelty wears off. I sim race with a wheel and pedal setup so i only got it for GT7. I love it! Blown away with the immersion.. but thats where the issues come. The isolation that comes from playing in VR really limits my use. I can sit and play a game and still see my kids and present. In VR i cant like at all lol. The only VR games lll probably buy going forward is sim racing games and see as there is only GT7 currently on PSVR2 i may never buy another game unless its a deep sale and ill only get to play it once my wife and kids go to sleep

[@SuperballsSupervidsOnYT]

I strongly recommend the Kayak game. it is gorgeous and relaxing

[@Snitchie]

Ty for video, but all this fox needs is VRchat, PC version that is ;)

[@drekenproductions]

epic and meta don't care about graphics for vr. ive heard unreal 5.2 and 5.3 have some vr upgrades but i can't really test much my crappy joystick has already given out and i have to rebuild the controller now. honestly not expecting anything too crazy for vr yet. most things unsupported and vr is often spoken of as a side feature. most features come out supporting desktop or even mobile but once we hit vr territory it's about a 20% chance to have good vr support.

[@dusk1234567890]

Hope not. The worst thing to happen to video games is becoming mainstream. The day vr becomes mainstream is the day games like Dreadhalls has to cost 200 million to make and be turned into an super realistic, dumbed down action game to appeal to as wide an audience as possible.

[@snakekingblues3017]

game dude they need games half life Alyx is awesome but unless there more big title worth jumping into in vr we may not reach that point anytime soon

[@xhappymasksalesmenx4092]

i only play 7 days to die in vr now. lot of old games with vr support were done poorly. the vr community has done more than large companies...half life alyx being an exception

[@johngannon]

Its not only games but the hardware, its just not a comfortable place to be for long periods of time.

[@NoImNotJonsAltWhatDoYouMean]

Somehow with the AppleVR, Quest 3, PSVR2 and and other headsets being rumored for coming out we are still having such a bad drought for good games. We need new software. Not new hardware. The Quest Pro was simply dropped after a few months. The Quest Pro didn't have a killer release in it's LIFETIME not even for PCVR. Wild! I bet whatever Valve is cooking up will still be a great time on a 6+ year old headset, but I'll be disappointed if it releases with some unnecessary "Index 2" and the market keeps getting flooded It just reminds me ALOT of the videogames crash of 1983 if that's not stupid to say The only good thing I see coming out of this is the cheap deals you can get on outdated headsets on the aftermarket.

[@SabreXT]

Something you didn't mention is space. Most people I know don't have a large, flat area they can dedicate to room scale gaming. I don't think AAA games will help much, since most AAA games these days are bad. Nobody wants a Mass Effect: Andromeda or Fallout 76, and making them VR only won't help.

[@bonojennett]

Yeah, and too many people I know drop out due to motion sickness.

[@FuzDoesStuff]

Roblox has got some pretty good VR games. (Cook burgers for example.)

[@decadent.]

Good Analysis. - I think the current standalone VR model is doomed. It can never catch up to what is viewed as "good enough" for mainstream gamers Over the next few years it is not just the visuals (UE5) but AI that will advance significantly. Imagine games with "human like" characters that can respond to any situation and learn / accompany you throughout your games / talk to directly with normal language / romance etc... Once these things become possible, games without these aspects will seem very dated. - VR could be a lot bigger on PC. There are millions of capable PCs and with the VR integration into engines like Unreal it has never been easier to make a game VR compatible. I think on PC it is purely a lack of a "good enough" cheap "Bigscreen beyond like" headset designed for PC and the lack of games. The praydog mod will go a long way to solving the software issue and if someone (hopefully Valve) deliver a truly great HMD (at a decent price point) I think we will see VR adoption increase. - I don`t think VR will ever replace or become as popular as "flat gaming" but it can certainly be more successful than it currently is and become the definitive way to play immersive games like Starfield , GTA6, Star Citizen etc. I don`t think the focus should be on VR only games. I think all VR games should be playable FLAT/SEATED in VR on a virtual 3D screen (avoids motion sickness issue/removes the physical exertion) or FULL VR (seated or standing).

[@Jkauppa]

well money tried to became mainstream but failed because it was too costly, sorry about the dad joke, the money by law by kings decree

[@FatswellSmart]

what with metas new anti piracy stance, i can't justify buying another meta product. i'm not willing to invest money in what basically amounts to a digital games service that they can take away from me for any reason meta deems necessary. factor in that the weight of the quest 3 is identical to that of the quest 2 as well and it becomes even less appealing.

[@GreenBlueWalkthrough]

To be fair the Quest 2 sold more systems then the Xbox Series S/X has so if Xbox is mainstream then so is VR.

[@RealTheogames]

yk quest 2 has more sold units then x boxs series x and s put together right?

[@virtualinsider]

Correct, but how many people are actually using them?

[@crashdude7589]

@@virtualinsider thats the issue, the industry just needs to realise that making a good VR game is worth it, lets hope that ubisoft assassins creed game pops off and the industry realises.

[@BlackLionWolf]

@@crashdude7589 I really think that any 3d game developer should be brought to tears when they see their creations in full stereoscopic glory. The idea that we made it this far with 3D graphics tech to simply only watch 3D movies or games on a 2D monitor is beyond absurd. There is greatness here, but it requires more efforts, faster mobile GPUs, and crisper display tech. This will drive more developer interest.

[@crashdude7589]

@BlackLionWolf I completely agree with you and that's something that puzzled me too, most games are obviously so much better when played in VR, I gotta assume that these executives have never tried VR and that's why they don't push it, if a rockstar employee made a demo of GTA in VR and showed it to the boss he would be mind blown and would probably authorise development.

[@BlackLionWolf]

@@crashdude7589 Sometimes I think VR is so much more intense that I think it scares people. It’s more at a unconscious level and so they push against it because they see how big of a change it really is. Maybe I am overthinking it but somehow I don’t think so.

[@dovakeen1179]

Quest 2 outsold xbox it's already mainstream

[@Blubbpaule]

VR won't ever get mainstream if Headsets continue to cost so much. The oculus rift was a great entrance headset at a great price, which is now discontinued to push the quest with its gimmicky games and mini games. Those mini games won't get a huge VR following though because people crave real VR experiences like Half life Alyx or Lone echo instead. The quest is destroying VR because more and more VR developers make quick minigames for quick bucks than fully fledged and goot implemented VR games.

[@zwenkwiel816]

look at what people pay for smart phones, paying that much for a phone?! would be unthinkable a few decades ago.

[@SuperballsSupervidsOnYT]

What can you do with a Rift that can't be done on a quest?

[@BlackLionWolf]

If a $299 Quest 2 is too expensive, then it will never be cheap enough. You aren't going to get a full on package for $100. Lets get real for a second. It's cheap enough, the problem is the display tech is not crisp enough and the CPU/GPU power is far too low to get the average joe to jump in.

[@SuperballsSupervidsOnYT]

@@BlackLionWolf That 299 is for ONE PLAYER. People who want to play with friends and family without needing to be online would have to buy multiple units to do so. A 299$ game console can be used between multiple people easily.

[@BlackLionWolf]

@@SuperballsSupervidsOnYT It sounds like VR isn’t for you and that is ok. There are tons of other game consoles available to you. Have fun out there buddy.