Is the world ready for virtual reality?

by Chris Mailloux

With products like the Oculus Rift and Project Morpheus in production one has to ask, are consumers ready for virtual reality?
The idea of virtual reality dates all the way back to the 1950s. Over the decades, companies have put research and development into the concept, but it wasn’t until recently that it actually became a reality.
Imagine going to a virtual movie theatre to watch Captain America: The Winter Soldier, or exploring the world of Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim as if you were walking through it. Now imagine doing those things while you are inside your home.
The idea of virtual reality has been used for a long time in films and television. Films like The Matrix Trilogy and the Tron series have focused on virtual realities. However, now that the idea is finally coming to life, is it too good to be true?
Consumers can already purchase the Oculus Rift Dev Kit, which while not the final model, is still impressive. The device allows them to not only create applications, but also use applications that have already been developed.
One of the apps in development includes the independent but successful Minecraft video game, VR Cinema and Jerry’s Place. Jerry’s Place lets the consumer walk through the famous apartment of Jerry Seinfeld’s apartment from his series, Seinfeld. VR Cinema is an app that allows users to have the movie theater experience while sitting on their couch.
I think the world is ready for this step into the future. This is something I’ve dreamed about since I was a child. Imagine exploring New York while sitting on your couch or walking on the moon.
The possibilities are endless depending on the number of developers interested and devoted to creating new and exciting things. Now that Facebook has purchased Oculus Rift users can now have a chance to help create a new Social Network.
Think of a world like The Sims where you could hang out with friends from around the world in a virtual environment. Imagine having a long distance relationship and being able to spend Friday nights on a couch watching television as though both of you are in the same room.
However, while this device could be used to bring people together, there is a danger of it creating isolation. If people get too comfortable with the virtual world, they may not explore the real world as much.
For adults this may not be as big of an issue, but it has potential to negatively influence teenagers and children. Something like this will be better for them in small doses.
One thing to note is the relationship kids and teenagers have with tablets and phones. Currently most of them spend their time spent on these devices because they give them access to multiple entertaining features. With a device like this that has even more possibilities, one can only imagine the effect it could have.
While we still can’t be sure if consumers are ready for virtual reality, we can definitely tell they want it. The kickstarter campaign for Oculus Rift began in 2012 and has already generated $75 million in funding.
More recently, Project Morpheus was announced with the headset being developed by Sony. With these devices on the horizon and the prototypes already available, it’s hard to yet gauge the overall lasting effect they will have on the market and consumers.
As of right now, it appears virtual reality is the next logical step towards the future but at the same time it could be a dangerous step for the overall social life of future youths.