The REAL Reason "Virtual Reality" Keeps Failing
Going Indie・18 minutes read
People have dreamed of living in a virtual world for years, with Meta (formerly Facebook) investing heavily in VR technology for the metaverse. Despite challenges and low user engagement, the future of gaming is moving towards mixed reality, with AR leading the way before VR can thrive.
Insights
- Despite significant investment and efforts by companies like Meta (formerly Facebook) to develop the metaverse and virtual reality, these technologies are struggling due to financial losses and low user engagement, with VR being labeled a "fake trend" for failing to capture a substantial player base.
- Augmented reality, with its focus on enhancing real-world experiences and social interactions, is considered a crucial stepping stone for the success of virtual reality. Companies like Apple are leading the shift towards AR technology, signaling a move towards mixed reality that combines AR and VR, ultimately expected to surpass reality in accessibility and advancement.
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Recent questions
What is the metaverse?
A virtual world for total immersion and detachment.
Why did the Virtual Boy fail?
Due to limitations in technology.
What is the current state of VR technology?
Struggling with low user engagement.
How does augmented reality differ from virtual reality?
Focuses on enhancing real-world experiences.
What is the future of gaming technology?
Moving towards mixed reality.
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Summary
00:00
"Metaverse Struggles Despite High Investment in VR"
- People have fantasized about living in a virtual world for almost 100 years, seeking total submersion and detachment from reality.
- Facebook changed its name to Meta, investing $96 billion in VR technology for the metaverse, aiming to connect people.
- Despite significant investment, the metaverse and virtual reality struggle to succeed, facing financial losses.
- VR technology has been developed for years, with Nintendo's Virtual Boy in the 1990s being an early attempt, but it failed due to limitations.
- Palmer Luckey and his team launched the Oculus VR headset in 2012, sparking a resurgence in VR technology.
- Various tech companies released their versions of VR headsets, expanding the market and making VR more accessible.
- Despite the initial hype, VR struggles with low user engagement, with only a small minority actively using VR monthly.
- VR is considered a "fake trend" due to the gap between hype and actual user engagement, failing to capture a significant player base.
- VR's limitations, high costs, gimmicky games, and primarily single-player experiences contribute to its failure to appeal to the average consumer.
- Augmented reality's success is seen as crucial before virtual reality can thrive, as AR focuses on enhancing real-world experiences and social interactions, unlike VR's isolation.
14:33
"Apple leads in augmented reality gaming"
- Augmented reality is predicted to dominate the gaming world, with companies like Niantic and Apple leading the way. Apple recently released the Vision Pro, an augmented reality headset, signaling a shift towards AR technology.
- The Vision Pro headset, although not designed for mass market appeal due to its appearance and price, serves as a stepping stone for future augmented and virtual reality products. Apple is focusing on developers to build for this new system in preparation for the launch of Apple Glass.
- The future of gaming is moving towards mixed reality, a blend of augmented and virtual reality, with advancements in hardware and technology like neural links brainship. Virtual reality is expected to succeed when it becomes more accessible and advanced than reality itself.
