Zornitsa Vuteva The VR gaming industry is known to be an intriguing and innovative niche, which, too, struggles with certain obstacles, challenging its further adoption. Although, as of now, there is a lot to be improved regarding VR gaming, future prospects show that most challenges could be dealt with in the upcoming years.
Key Takeaways
- Affordability and accessibility challenges hinder the growth of the VR games industry.
- Comfort and usability issues with current VR headsets are significant obstacles for the industry.
- Limited movement options in VR gaming due to space constraints and limited availability of VR treadmills.
- Motion sickness remains a common challenge in VR gaming, requiring further research and development to address.
Price of VR headsets
With prices ranging from $300 to $800, you’re looking at quite an investment if you’re considering buying a VR headset. Google’s Cardboard is the most affordable option, but its capabilities are limited, meaning it’s mainly used for educational purposes.
The Oculus, a popular device, requires a PC to run the software, making it both a VR device and a computer accessory. Unfortunately, creating a true VR set with its own components is still expensive. This is a challenge for the VR games industry, as it’s difficult to make the technology accessible to everyone. Even if people can afford the devices, they mightn’t have the necessary hardware to run them.
Comfort inconveniences
Another limitation is the comfort inconveniences associated with wearing them. Current VR headsets are bulky and uncomfortable, making them difficult to use for extended periods of time.
Companies are working hard to make them more user-friendly by reducing their size and weight. Meta, Bigscreen, and Dlodlo have all previewed much smaller versions of their headsets, featuring smaller optics and improved comfort. Not comfortable headsets for long sessions are one of the reasons VR games (on average) are short, compared to the PC or console ones.
Despite these efforts, there’s still more work to be done to make VR headsets truly comfortable and easy to use.
Movement constraints
Movement constraints in VR gaming are caused by the size of the space available to the player. Moving too little can reduce the immersive quality of the game while moving too much can lead to bumps and bruises.
To avoid this, virtual reality gaming treadmills have been created. These treadmills allow for movement in all directions within a designated space, eliminating the risk of injury or damaging any objects. Additionally, the treadmills provide a more immersive gaming experience due to their ability to accurately track the user’s movements.
However, despite the advantages of these treadmills, they aren’t widely available due to their cost and limited availability. As a result, some gamers are still limited in their ability to move freely in virtual reality games.
Motion sickness
Motion sickness is a common problem in the VR games industry and one that can really ruin the experience. It is caused when your eyes tell your brain you’re moving, but your inner ear doesn’t provide the same signal. This can lead to feelings of nausea, dizziness, and even fainting in some cases.
Solutions such as using smooth transitions and creating virtual environments that are as close to real life as possible can help, but there’s still a lot of work to do.
Game Engine hindrances
Game engines are significant for the development of any game as they optimize the process of creating a virtual experience of this type.
Unity is a popular game engine in the VR industry, but developers may run into issues such as bugs and compatibility issues. These problems can be incredibly time-consuming and frustrating.
Unity Lab is dedicated to creating new projects and experiments to improve their developer tools, but the perfect software solution is yet to be found. Developers must understand the limitations of the current tools and be aware of how to get the most out of them.
Expensive game development
Developing a VR game or any other form of digital entertainment can be expensive and time-consuming. Complexity, the location of the development team, gaming platforms, design, and marketing are all factors that contribute to the cost. Smaller games can cost as little as $5,000, while larger and more complex games can cost over a million dollars. The high cost of these games impacts their length, storytelling, and graphics quality, which are all significant factors for any game.
Multiplying platforms can add to the cost and time of development. The VR game development market is expected to reach over $60 billion by 2027, but developers must be aware of the potential cost associated with creating a successful game.
Addiction
With its immersive and engaging content, VR gaming can become addictive. This is why it’s important for users to be aware of the potential for addiction when playing. Regardless of how far-fetched such statements may sound, there are many people susceptible to developing addiction to any type of digital media. Addiction to video games is already a common problem, making its possibility with VR even more concerning.
To reduce the risk of addiction, users should limit their playtime and set rules for themselves regarding how often and how long they play. Additionally, it’s important to take breaks between playing sessions and to engage in other activities.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are the Long-Term Effects of Using VR Technology?
Using VR technology for extended periods of time can have a long-term impact on your eyesight, balance, and mental health. It can also cause headaches, nausea, and fatigue. Make sure to take breaks regularly to avoid any potential issues.
What Types of Content Are Available for VR Games?
You can find a wide variety of content for VR games, from action-adventure titles to puzzle games. There are also simulations, sports, and educational experiences available in the virtual reality space.
What Is the Future of the VR Games Industry?
The future of the VR games industry is incredibly promising as, thanks to newer technology users are expected to have multisensory experiences in VR.
Are There Any VR Games Suitable for Children?
Yes, VR games like Job Simulator, Fruit Ninja VR, and Minecraft VR are suitable for children.
Conclusion
The VR games industry faces many challenges and limitations, which are all, in a way, stemming from the lack of development in this niche. This, of course, is linked to how still relatively new virtual reality is for the tech industry. However, it is expected that most of those hindrances could be dealt with in the upcoming years. As long as there is a high consumer interest, VR gaming will continue to evolve and propose more effective gaming practices.
