VR Headsets: A New Way to Game
What if you could play your favorite game from your perspective?
For 45 years, video games have attracted the adoration and even addiction of many people around the world. It’s a chance for them to escape reality for a little while; but it requires you to sit in front of a screen to do so.
Well, now is the future, and with the future has new ways to do things. One of those things? Gaming.
Just as recent as four years ago, virtual reality headsets have made their way into the public; and they’re a big hit. Bigger VR brand names, such as Vive and the Playstation VR were released in 2016, while other popular names such as the Oculus Rift were introduced in 2014.
What are virtual reality headsets?
Virtual reality headsets allow you to actually be in the game, in a sense, of playing from your perspective. It can even come with controls you can use to move your hands around and use other basic game functions. Basically, if you look up, down; anywhere, you’ll see in front of you a fictional reality. If you move, you’ll move in the game too.
Imagine what level that takes horror games to.
There’s a mountain of potential that developers are seeing in this, such as making fitness simulators, rpg games, and much more.
Get into the world of popular titles such as Rick and Morty, Resident Evil, and even simulators like Job Simulator and Cat Simulator. Why not? One of the most trending with teens right now is a social game called VRchat. You can create literally any character and go adventure and play games with loads of other people in various worlds.
A lot of these games, like VRchat, require you to be at least standing up to move around, which is a great change of pace for adolescents. Developers are sure to take advantage of this to get people more active in the future, which will hopefully lead to more active lifestyles.
Are these headsets safe for your eyes, though?
For the most part, yes! It’s not looking at a screen through goggles. It actually creates a 3D experience, separating the pixels from your eyes with a lense, and showing a slightly different image to each eye like in real life. But like with any screen, looking into it too long will make your eyes tired and strained at some point.
Of course, you can possibly get motion sickness and dizziness from it, since it’ll make your brain think the game is actually happening. It applies that “reality” feeling to it.
VR developers are targeting not only teens, but all age groups for a wide range of games, such as adults, who can purchase the new Black Box that introduces a 30 minute, virtual reality workout. It requires a set up the size of a small bathroom. The cost isn’t clear for this yet.
That’s just one example of the more intense fitness games anticipated for the VR headsets.
Since these are relatively new and complex devices, they’re quite expensive.
Vive racks in as the most expensive, costing $599, (formerly $799) while the Oculus Rift and Playstation VR come in cheaper at $399. There are others out there just as good, and fall within the general price range of $399 to $799. The cheapest one on the market is for google cardboard, which is only $30 and used for playing apps on your smartphone.
Vive and Oculus rift require a PC to be played, while Playstation VR is used with the Playstation 4.
Overall, this is a monumental breakthrough in gaming technology, and the number of VR owners is predicted to hit 171 million by late 2018.
Scott Smith • Feb 9, 2018 at 12:05 PM
I completely agree about the argument that virtual reality (and video games in general) are “[for] all age groups.” However, games have ratings (M for mature, T for teen, etc.) to inform the consumers on what age range it should be used by, but virtual reality games might not have these ratings which might cause some alterations.
Juan Gonzalez • Feb 9, 2018 at 11:59 AM
Owning a VR headset myself, I can agree with Ashley that “they’re a big hit.” This is definitely a big leap for the world of video games, although I don’t play much myself. It amazes me just how far technology has come.
David Douthwright • Feb 9, 2018 at 11:52 AM
Personally, I don’t agree with your statement that “overall, this is a monumental breakthrough in gaming technology.” However, we’ve had VR-type devices since the 1980’s. Starting with the first motion controlled video game device The Nintendo Power Glove, allowed you to use primitive motion controls to control the game with just your right arm to today’s HTC Vive which has gripped controllers to allow for hand movement which really isn’t a huge jump in the technology within the last three decades. Sadly, since 2014, the decline of all these devices has been catastrophic due to the prices and lack of third party content especially since each VR game is either in beta or is a short three minute “experience” that developers are shoving out that are half-baked and really buggy.
Logan Dykstra • Feb 9, 2018 at 9:26 AM
The thought of virtual reality is scary in some ways since the VR system tricks people’s brains so soon they might be able to influence peoples brains to make them do something. Another factor is that people will have even less personal interaction since now they made a “virtual reality workout.” Yes, this could be a way for people to still be active while playing video games.
Charles Dyer • Feb 9, 2018 at 9:23 AM
VR headsets are a new and exciting way to game; the VR experience offers a more real feel to the game. VR gaming hasn’t taken off quite yet though because they “fall within the general price range of $399 to $799. ” I fully support the idea of it and if it wasn’t as much money as it is more people would probably have VR headsets.
Owen Brondo • Feb 9, 2018 at 9:12 AM
The advancements in technology are becoming amazing. Vr is an escape from reality but can be used by medical professionals in up close robotic surgeries. VR is the future and the future is now.