Virtual Reality Venture: Immersing Yourself in Cutting-Edge Gaming Experiences

The much-anticipated video game conferences of Summer Game Fest, Ubisoft Forward Live and MS Xbox Games Showcase will showcased some of the industry's brightest upcoming titles. When it came to Virtual Reality gaming, the event also revealed an intriguing disparity. While Sony teased a number of titles for its PSVR headset , including Skyrim, a fantasy role-playing game, and a spinoff for the popular Final Fantasy XV, Microsoft's announcements made no mention of VR. This reflects a growing schism in the gaming community between those who believe virtual reality is the next big thing and those who believe it is overrated. VR systems have grown in popularity in recent years, with headsets available for both PCs and living room consoles. However, as many gamers predicted, these headsets have not yet revolutionized the gaming world. We look at the pros and cons of current VR systems, as well as how this immersive technology could change the face of gaming in the future.

What exactly is virtual reality gaming?

Virtual reality is a system that allows gamers to experience the game environment as if they were there. A headset and a set of biosensors in a glove or suit allow the user to move through and interact with the game world using natural movements. The sensors record the user's movements and feed them back into the game, allowing it to generate appropriate on-screen responses and provide a fully immersive experience.

How do current systems look?

The most common home VR gaming options include a low-cost headset and a data glove connected to a games console or gaming PC. While these provide an enjoyable immersive experience, the lack of high-end graphics currently prevents players from truly believing they have entered the game world.

However, as a result of these products, components are gradually becoming more accessible and affordable. That means we're finally getting believable, high-quality VR experiences in our living rooms.

This summer, popular game distribution service Steam released its SteamVR Home beta product, championing new levels of accuracy for home systems. SteamVR Home includes a headset as well as two input controllers, one for each hand. The controllers and headset work together to form a miniature GPS system that captures even the smallest motions of the player.

SteamVR, along with the PSVR, HTC Vive , and the critically acclaimed Oculus Rift , is paving the way for widely available home VR consoles in the future. So, how will the gaming industry evolve over the next five years?

What will the future bring?

If the E3 conference is any indication, the availability of low-cost VR systems is already fueling an increase in big-name immersive games. With top game developers like Bethesda now working on full-length VR role-playing adventures, gamers will have plenty of reasons to buy a system.

Meanwhile, developers are working to make VR hardware that is less bulky, distracting, and more accessible.

Both the current Vive and Oculus headsets require high-end gaming computers to run, making them inaccessible to casual gamers. Sony's PSVR, on the other hand, is compatible with the widely available PS4 console, lowering the overall cost and ensuring that PlayStation-savvy users are familiar with the system's basic functionalities.

Will virtual reality ever completely take over the gaming world, rendering traditional PC and console games obsolete? It's highly unlikely. Many games that have already been released on VR systems, such as Oculus Rift's Lucky's Tale , have been panned by gamers for not fully utilizing the systems' capabilities.

It appears that VR gaming will continue to coexist with traditional gaming, taking on only titles that lend themselves to immersive gameplay.