We are still in the very early days of VR. Does anybody remember the late 1970s when personal computers were toys for enthusiasts and rich kids? They were not ergonomic and served no purpose to the general public that couldn’t be filled by the technology they already had. Eventually they reached a point where they had value to enough people that they “took off”.

I believe we’re still in that period for VR. VR has not found its “killer app” yet, the closest thing we have is Beat Saber. People aren’t willing to put up with the inconveniences and cost of VR just to play a handful of mediocre games that would work just as well in 2D.

Valve has been the company really pushing this space forward, The Lab and Half Life: Alyx are hailed as some of the best VR software there is. If anyone has the chops to make a headset and software with mass appeal, especially after the success of the Steam Deck, I think it’s them.

I also have a personal theory that deep in Apple’s R&D department, a “consumer” level headset is brewing, which is the real reason for the “Liquid Glass” push. Forcing it onto their OSes right now is a move to familiarize end-users and developers with the design language so the market will be more receptive to the VR device that’s in the works. I haven’t had the opportunity to try the Vision Pro, but it has a reputation for having the best fidelity and “pass through” capability on the market. If the “Vision Air” comes close and comes in under $1200 it might be the final push that VR needs to go mainstream.

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miladyincontrol 5 hours ago | parent | next [-]

I'd argue VR did have it's killer app, VRchat, and covid gave them a golden opportunity.

Unfortunately they chased user acquisition hard via non-vr modes and subscriptions rather than enabling creators using their platform highlighting what made such spaces unique. Updates actively made things more hostile to their most dedicated users, it was sad to see.

Eternal September got kicked into overdrive and most dedicated users either got pushed out or retreated entirely to private spaces. Lo and behold the mobile and casual VRless werent interested in spending money, so vrchats been running out of runway.

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rchaud 6 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

Personal computers were extremely expensive until the mid-90s when free consumer email and chat started making them a necessity. Microcomputers didn't exist until the 80s and were largely useless to people with jobs didn't require email, desktop publishing or spreadsheets.

VR is a recreational tool. People aren't waiting for the tech to be better to jump in en masse. It just isn't a need most people have.

	▲	Fwirt 4 hours ago \| parent [-]
		The internet wasn't a need until the past 20 years or so, and yet it was a project that arguably began in the 1960s. Now governments worldwide are nearly mandating that everyone have an internet connection, not to mention a microcomputer with a high resolution color screen. I'd argue that microcomputers, although initially being targeted at business uses, were by and large seen by consumers as recreational tools as well until they found their niche, I would argue primarily as communication tools, inasmuch as mailing in paper forms is communication. I think the problem is that right now, as with the internet and microcomputers, we can't see a use for VR that would necessitate its entrance into our everyday lives. That doesn't mean the use doesn't exist, it just hasn't been invented yet. There's no guarantee that will happen, but if it does I could VR could become a necessity just as high resolution displays, color graphics, and GPUs have. I think that people decrying VR's uselessness are forgetting the cycle we've been through with novel display and communication technologies time and time again. This is me speculating: I think VRChat is a possible glimpse into what could make VR take off. Long range "presence" is very desirable. Apple seems to realize this with the 3D recordings that Vision Pro enables. If we could get anything close to "holographic" video chat, especially with multiple users, it could enable huge cost savings for businesses. Although many managers are loathe to approve remote work, if they could mandate virtual "presence" in a virtual office, that could dissuade heavy handed managers from requiring a physical presence, saving money on renting an office. Not to mention the appeal to consumers of being able to "visit" their loved ones from far away. The industry is still thrashing around looking for a use for the technology, and they might stumble on it eventually, or they might not. Only time will tell.