The global video games market is worth about 78 billion USD today and is poised to reach 90 billion USD by 2020 according to Statistica.
When video games became mainstream and popular through home consoles, which was around the 70s, they were welcomed by everyone around the world with open arms. Since then, the love for this immersive and action-laced form of entertainment has been growing at a constant rate.
Talking about today, there are a number of technologies that have made video gaming a lot more immersive and realistic than it was several decades ago. Of course, a lot of credit for this goes to Virtual Reality or VR.
VR has not only become one of the main areas of focus for the game publishers and developers but also of the new-age marketers that are learning how to use virtual reality for their benefit.
Now, we know that the VR industry is growing by leaps and bounds today, but how did it all start, and what’s to expect from the future?
The Beginning
Most people don’t know this but one of the first devices for virtual reality gaming wasn’t created only a few years ago, but rather back in the 80s as the Sega Master System’s 3D glasses.
Although the Sega 3D glasses were far from the VR headsets we use today in terms of technology and the overall experience, they do qualify for virtual reality gaming as they created a 3D environment that added a whole new aspect of gaming immersion, at least for that time.
Although more than a few games were released for the headset, including Missile Defence, Maze Hunter, and Space Harrier, etc. it didn’t gain as much traction as Sega wanted and was met with a mild response from the gamers around the globe.
One Step Forward
In 1995, renowned video game company Nintendo that launched legendary games like Super Mario Bros., Castlevania, Contra, etc. took another shot at virtual reality gaming after Sega’s barely successful attempt with its own 3D headset called Virtual Boy.
The company started with a pilot program in which it offered the headset on a rental basis but after its success, they introduced the product to the public which retailed at $180.
Virtual Boy received a variety of interesting games like Mario’s Tennis, Red Alert, and the Wario Land series. However, its success didn’t last long and was taken off the shelves the next year of launch.
VR: The Present
The market for virtual reality gaming has become quite big today and is expanding at an impressive rate. What’s more, industry experts believe that it’s only a matter of a few years when the market will explode and take gaming to unbelievable heights.
Today, we have state of the art VR headsets, especially the Oculus Rift which is easily one of the best-in-class headsets that you can grab your hands on today.
The potential that the tech industry is seeing in the VR technology can be realized by the fact that the social media Giant Facebook invested a whopping $2 billion in Oculus Rift. Similarly, Sony is leaving no stone unturned either as it has created a massive library of 100+ VR games that run on its PS4 console and is pouring money on the same to develop some of the most breath-taking games for its customers.
The VR technology has made into mobile gaming as well. So, today you can play a number of mobile VR games, including live casino games!
Yep, you can enjoy the experience of playing your favorite casino games in Las Vegas without leaving your house. All you need to do is put on your VR headgear, pick any popular online casino such as the Royal Vegas Casino and you enjoy VR slot, VR blackjack for a more a more immersive and exciting gambling experience. It’s like playing in a real casino, only it’s free of unnecessary cacophony and primarily oriented around the game itself.
VR: The Future
According to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, VR technology could become the primary form of communication in the near future as it’s far richer than a photo or video.
Similarly, Frank Azor, who is the general manager of PC manufacturer Alienware, hinted in an interview that while VR caters to only auditory and visual senses for now, in the future it’s likely to become enhanced and affect a user temperature-wise, smell-wise, body-wise, etc.
All in all, it’s safe to assume that VR is going to become more powerful and awe-inspiring in the near future. Since gaming is its one of the most important applications, the community can look forward to a lot more excitement and action in the industry that is still one of the biggest in the world.