Has VR flopped or are we just at the beginning?
Oculus Rift was supposed to be the spearhead for making virtual reality socially acceptable. Since then, numerous manufacturers have thrown their hats into the ring. The breakthrough has not really materialised yet. Has the hype already faded or are we just at the beginning?
When "Doom" was presented on the Oculus Rift prototype at E3 2012, a murmur went through the gaming landscape. After numerous failed attempts in the 80s and 90s, faith in the futuristic game concept had almost disappeared. Now developer icon John Carmack was promoting the technology after inventor Palmer Luckey had demonstrated the device to him in person. With his Doom engine, Carmack raised the bar for game graphics time and time again. Were we witnessing a revolution?
Seven years later, John Carmack and the Oculus Rift have landed at Facebook. The company has since parted ways with Luckey. Several versions of the Rift have been released, new ones are just around the corner and the competition hasn't been sleeping either. The HTC Vive, which was developed in collaboration with Valve, is the biggest competitor for PC. Sony has claimed the console sector for itself with the PSVR.
Only one pair of glasses sells well
Although VR has enjoyed considerable success, the big breakthrough is still a long way off. The PSVR leads the field with 4.2 million units sold. The Oculus Rift has just under two and the HTC Vive is at just over one million. All in all, not the most impressive figures when you consider that there are now well over 90 million PS4s sold. One reason is certainly the high purchase price. At launch, the Rift and the Vive with controller cost almost 1000 dollars. It's clear that it's primarily hardcore fans who buy them.
The PSVR has managed to appeal to a wider audience thanks to its lower price and simpler operation. Sony is clearly talking about a success and it can be assumed that a successor is in the starting blocks.
Nintendo also recently presented a VR solution for the Switch: The Toy-Con 04 for the cardboard game extension Labo. Due to the significantly weaker hardware, the VR set is likely to be more of a gimmick and primarily aimed at children, but it is still a creative design. "Zelda: Breath of the Wild" and "Super Mario Odyssey" are also compatible with the system. The release date is 12 April.
Is it finally any good?
The first rollercoaster ride with the Oculus Rift development kit and the highly acclaimed "Astro Bot" for PSVR are worlds apart. It starts with the technology. The first kit had a resolution of 1280 × 800 pixels. That's just 640 × 800 pixels per eye. That's how we played in the days of "GTA 1" or "Z". Our first contact with VR was definitely not very attractive. Current headsets have a much higher resolution. The current version of the Rift from 2016 uses 2160 × 1200 pixels (1080 × 1200 pixels per eye). The HTC Vive Pro, which was developed more for professional use, even manages 2880 × 1600 pixels (1440 × 1600 per eye).
In addition to better resolutions and a larger field of vision, the headsets have also made progress in terms of wearing comfort. The headphones are usually already integrated, the headsets are lighter and easier to put on. In the beginning, this was a two-man (woman) job due to the many cables and the stiff shape. You also needed around 17 USB ports and had to mount a number of sensors on the walls.
With integrated cameras, there are now numerous headsets that do not require external sensors, which makes them even easier to use.
Games you want to play
Better hardware is only half the battle. The games are more important and they have also stepped up a gear. The first VR experiences were little more than tech demos or ports of existing games. Only in recent years have more and more games been released that were developed from the ground up for virtual reality. The difference is massive.
Sony recently sent me a PSVR. This allowed me to see for myself just how much progress VR games have made. The list of top-reviewed VR experiences is now long. I've played a number of them and have to say - a lot has happened. In "Beat Saber", "Moss" and "Astro Bot", VR is not just a gimmick - it's an integral part. Even "Tetris Effect" is a completely different experience in VR. You can clearly see that these games were developed specifically for VR. Developers have learnt important lessons in recent years about what works in VR and what doesn't.
I was surprised at how much fun I had with the games and especially how long I could play them. So far, VR has been "quite fun" for me and my mates. You try it out, play a few fun demos and then you've already seen it. Now I regularly get asked if we can play another round of Beat Saber. What do you mean, I'm pestered with stares until I unpack the PSVR.
Sony's VR glasses have been slightly modified since the launch two years ago. They finally support HDR. This means you no longer have to connect the cables differently every time you want to play a PS4 game with HDR. The PSVR also comes with earbuds that can be attached directly to the headset. Handling has become even easier overall.
However, the cable that connects the PSVR to the PS4 still bothers me. No matter how I set it up, it's always in the way. This also applies to all other VR headsets. There are Wifi attachments, but they cost extra and the input lag is likely to increase as a result.
The race is not over yet
Although the VR revival began in the gaming sector, it looks as though the technology is proving more popular in the business sector. Many manufacturers such as HTC are producing devices that are fully equipped but cost well over 1000 francs. Even for enthusiasts, these are proud prices. But these headsets are not intended for gamers. Whether in healthcare for trauma management or in architecture for virtual tours, VR is widely used in the business world. Boeing and Airbus can thanks to VR simulate the interior design of flight cabins instead of building prototypes costing millions.
Source: Boeing
Development has stalled somewhat in the consumer sector. Decisive progress has yet to be made. Seven years after the Oculus Rift was first launched, VR is still struggling with the same problems. Cables interfere with freedom of movement, the setup is too complicated, vertigo problems are a common phenomenon and pixels are visible to the eye unless you buy a business device. Although two new headsets, the Oculus Quest and the Oculus Rift S, are on the horizon, they won't make a big splash in terms of price or technology. Even Oculus is not talking about a new generation. The inside-out tracking used makes external sensors superfluous, but does not always provide precise localisation. The HP Reverb sounds a little more exciting. It increases the resolution considerably (2160 x 2160 pixels per eye) and delivers a refresh rate of 90 Hz. It also costs 600 dollars.
The announcement of the Valve Index is exciting. The company behind Steam wants to present the first VR glasses without HTC collaboration in May. Otherwise, hopes are pinned on Sony. In their first "State of Play" video stream, the focus was clearly on PSVR. Everything indicates that Sony will continue to focus on virtual reality. In terms of value for money, the PSVR is unbeatable. If Sony delivers a sensible upgrade and decent controllers that are not recycled remnants of the PS3, then VR could get a real boost.
For VR to really become suitable for the masses, the technology needs to improve and handling needs to become easier. Only when the headsets are wireless, the resolution and field of vision are higher and the price is lower will the masses be attracted. We are clearly heading towards this development, it's just taking longer than I thought.
Header image: Image: HTC
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Philipp Rüegg
Senior Editor
Philipp.Rueegg@digitecgalaxus.chBeing the game and gadget geek that I am, working at digitec and Galaxus makes me feel like a kid in a candy shop – but it does take its toll on my wallet. I enjoy tinkering with my PC in Tim Taylor fashion and talking about games on my podcast http://www.onemorelevel.ch. To satisfy my need for speed, I get on my full suspension mountain bike and set out to find some nice trails. My thirst for culture is quenched by deep conversations over a couple of cold ones at the mostly frustrating games of FC Winterthur.
