These are very exciting times for people who love tech and gadgets, especially for gamers. In 2018, were going to see VR becoming more and more accessible, available, and mainstream. When it comes to non-gaming things, AR probably has a little more potential to impact our day to day lives, but the immersive world of VR will be what dominates gaming.
Lets take a look at some of the most popular VR platforms, and well also point out some of the cool things that each one has going for it, is doing, or will be implemented in the future.
Sony PlayStation VR
PlayStation VR is a huge hit because it makes the VR experience relatively affordable, compared to some of the much more highly priced headsets. Also, it works right with the PS4, so you dont need a high-end computer to process the graphics like you would with most other headsets.
There are many households with a PS4, which is a huge gateway to VR. With such strong support from game devs, weve already seen some incredible titles land on PS4 VR, with much more in the pipeline.
HTC Vive
Unlike the PSVR, the Vive requires a high-end gaming PC to run, and its notably more expensive. None the less, it offers a stellar experience, but its more for the enthusiast or connoisseur rather than the more mainstream audience. It can push higher quality graphics but at a cost. Still, thats not a huge deterrent to PC gamers, who dont mind spending more than console gamers have to spend on hardware if it means theyre getting the best possible graphics and experience out of their hardware, and when it comes to VR headsets, theyre no exception.
Oculus Go & Future Potential and Other Uses for VR
Oculus made big waves in the world of VR with their Rift headset, and now their latest and greatest is the Oculus Go, which is a more portable, compact, user-friendly version. It has crystal-clear optics, spatial audio, and 3D graphics. The ultra-precise handheld controller is going to be a game-changer, too.
Along with games, there are also a variety of VR apps, including social apps, which are going to be huge. Imagine being able to actually visit a loved ones living room, on the other side of the world, to sit down and chat with them, or explore a museum, or even hit up a casino.
Online casinos are nothing new, but adding the VR element to it is. The very first VR casino launched recently, and you can actually walk around in the lobby, play different casino games, and even use real money like you were there in person. Its actually pretty wild. It feels like its only a matter of time until were able to experience a lot of other real-world things in the virtual world, in some cases itll be very convenient, but in other cases, it just wont be the same. Theres no way to take something like the Grand Canyon and translate it to a virtual experience in a way thatll be even remotely as awe-inspiring as seeing it in person, for example, but that doesnt mean we wont be seeing some amazing VR experiences in the very near future.
