The great VR headset revolution is well and truly underway, and just because you own an iPhone rather than an Android smartphone doesn’t mean you can’t get involved – an Apple VR headset doesn’t exist so Google Cardboard has stolen a lot of the attention when it comes to virtual reality on your iPhone.
One of the most successful applications of virtual reality (VR) technology is represented by VR games. Immersion is part of the recipe for success in gaming, and the more involved you can get those players in your game, the more people will purchase and recommend your product. A game that makes players feel in the middle of the action keeps them wired for multiple hours in a row and soon becomes very popular, and virtual reality does just that – it gives you the illusion you are fully immersed in the game world.
VR games pertain to multiple genres, from shooters to racing games, and game developers have started to introduce this technology into more and more game types, including gambling games. In this article, we’ll tell you what to expect in terms of virtual reality gaming trends in the following period (2017-2018).
New VR headsets will emerge
The VR headset is central to any virtual reality game experience. You can’t play this sort of game without a virtual reality headset, even though acquisition costs are not negligible at all. The good news is any kind of technology available to the masses becomes cheaper and more accessible some time after being first introduced. If you are familiar with the world of virtual reality gaming, you might think the only devices out there are Oculus Rift, Google Daydream, Google Cardboard, and HTC Vice. The truth is more and more VR headsets are currently emerging, and they are not just copies of the famous ones – they often come with impressive features, such as the Razor, which provides superior image resolution, stereo eye tracking, and immersive position tracking. More competition involves smaller prices for the VR headsets of tomorrow – isn’t it great?
Haptic devices will convert game action into physical sensations
Haptics refers to communication via the sense of touch. It is mainly a way in which people and animals communicate, but lately virtual reality technology has included this communication type in its applications as well. In order to experience communication trough touch in a video game, you will need special wearables, like gloves and vests, which include specially-designed haptic motors. The effect is that what happens in the world game will have a physical consequence on your body – let’s say you get shot in the game – the result will be that you will experience a sharp blow in your vest. The intensity of sensations can be controlled, of course, and these actions will not be powerful enough to hurt you. The reason why VR game developers have introduced haptics into their work is again ensuring a deeper game immersion and keeping players glued to their chairs – or rather walking platforms. The slots company Casingdom has recently created a Bio Feedback Haptic Poker system for example. The opportunities for this are endless.
The mobile VR gaming market will grow
Successful technology needs to be above all affordable. When you discover the variety of VR gaming devices available these days, you realize that many VR gaming platforms exceed the budget of many passionate gamers. The solution in this case is to provide these people with smartphone-based VR gaming. Viewers for smartphones include Samsung Gear VR, Google Daydream View, and Zeiss One Plus. Some phone processors are VR-optimized and people will no longer need high-end gear to enjoy a virtual reality game. This doesn’t mean that the high-end VR gaming headset will disappear – instead it will continue to exist alongside the market for mobile VR gaming, a situation likely to please all categories of gamers.
VR game development is becoming serious business
Until a couple of years ago, the VR gaming industry was dealing with uncertainty. Virtual reality used to be a world of startups driven by an overall visionary goal. The situation has changes fast, and these days virtual reality gaming development is seen as serious business, with a multi-billion dollar potential. The biggest players on the market, like Microsoft, Samsung, Google, HTC, Facebook, and Sony, are investing billions in VR gaming, and the increasing market share of this type of games will require an ever-expanding workforce to sustain its growth.
Educational virtual reality games
Virtual reality is expanding across all genres, and those familiar with VR gaming know more titles than Grand Theft Auto V or ADR1FT. There are also titles that aim to educate, aside from entertaining, such as Titanic VR, Engage, and Apollo 11 VR. The latter allows players to experience the historic event in 1969 – the first landing of humans on the Moon, through the eyes of the astronauts who have been there. Aside from seeing what the first humans on the Moon saw, players have the possibility to take control themselves, to fly the command module, to perform moon landings, to explore the Moon’s surface, and to complete various experiments.
Gambling games is the next thing in VR gaming
VR can offer a very realistic experience for users, and developers have already created a new generation of VR casinos dedicated to online gamblers, like the Casino VR Game by AppReal-VR Studio. These games are often provided by casinos themselves – the stake is real – and an increasing number of operators are including virtual reality platforms into their services offer. VR gaming is not just pioneering technology that casinos are giving a try at, but a field these establishments are taking seriously and looking to fulfill its potential. Of course, glitches were common among the first products, launched in 2016, but reviews from 2017 suggest the situation has improved and VR is growing fast to get over its infancy phase.
One thing is for sure – virtual reality gaming is here to stay. The technology is not just a fad, and the developments we’ll witness in 2018 and later will prove that VR is reaching a level that makes it competitive and able to overcome low-tech games in terms of the market share. The only question there remains is: will VR increase the rush of gambling and make more people to bet online? We just have to wait and see!
