The Impact of Virtual Reality on The Games Industry                                       Jack Barber

 

Virtual reality (or VR) is a relatively new technology that has come a long way in recent years. It’s introduction created a new and exciting way to experience gaming. The idea of playing games in a fully interactive 3D environment, with your body as the controller, is a concept that feels like a step into science-fiction. But is this technology really the future of gaming, or will VR never become more than a novelty? In this essay I will attempt to answer these questions by discussing the technology’s impact on the games industry so far and in the future. I will consider points such as how VR changes games, the success of VR so far as well as some of the downsides such as discomfort and accessibility issues. 

 

The use of VR in games has the potential to reach a new level of immersion beyond traditional gaming platforms. The player utilises their actual body movements to control the game, which - compared to traditional input devices like controllers uses the player’s abilities in the real world as actions in the game. Using a headset and two handheld controllers (as well as motion tracking stations in more advanced setups) the user controls the game using their own hand and body movements. The headset displays a 3D environment that the player is able to control their perspective of by moving their head and the headset along with it. Besides looking in different directions the player can perform movements such as crouching by performing the action in real life. VR attempts to intuitively mirror the player’s real actions to their avatar’s actions in the game. Aiming a weapon, for example, is done using the player’s own skills, reactions and precision rather than simply moving a joystick. Throwing an object uses the player’s real arms and depth perception, where traditional games would use a simple ‘throw’ button. Rather than trying to simulate real actions with a limited controller VR games have the capability to put the player inside the game, immersing the player not just through graphics and presentation, but through direct physical interaction with it. 

 

Valve’s ‘Half-Life: Alyx’ is an example of this, a VR game unlike its predecessor ‘Half-Life 2’. In Half-Life 2 shooting is done by moving the mouse on enemies and clicking to shoot. Reloading is a single button press and picking up ammo is done by simply walking over it. Alyx, as previously mentioned, requires the player’s own physical abilities when shooting. Reloading is done by physically interacting with the weapon, and ammo must be picked up with your hands to be stored. This opens a lot of interesting possibilities, like trying to reload quickly in a tense situation or physically ducking behind cover. Small actions like reloading or searching through a drawer for ammo become so much more satisfying and immersive through the use of physical interaction and adds a new level of enjoyment to games that traditional means could not achieve.

 

However, there are limitations and downsides to VR games. While many interactions are enhanced with VR, there are limitations that come with the controls. Many VR games struggle with making the player’s movement smooth and natural like a traditional game does. In traditional FPS games the player can easily move in all directions as well a jump and crouch with single button presses. In VR, there are few buttons on controllers, so less intuitive movement options like teleporting and a limited joystick are often a necessary evil. There is also the issue of motion sickness and the player’s perspective. Moving too fast or in unnatural ways can cause discomfort when playing in VR. Traditional, smooth movement causes motion sickness in many people. This deflates the notion of full control using physical movement, as regardless of all the interactions with shooting, throwing and interacting the player will usually be teleporting or slowly shuffling around, rather than the free, intuitive movement of existing games. Motion sickness also raises the issue of discomfort with the player. In a survey of 300 people by VR HEAVEN (https://vrheaven.io/vr-motion-sickness-statistics/) 57.8% of the sample had experienced motion sickness in VR, with 13.7% experiencing it frequently. This makes VR an unpleasant or even inaccessible experience for a number of people. Such a hands-on medium is bound to cause issues and be limited by the human body. Besides motion sickness, people with disabilities mental or physical may face many more roadblocks to enjoying VR than with a traditional setup. Headsets are also quite cumbersome and uncomfortable for sustained use. VRs goal of creating a completely immersive experience has not been reached yet by commercial systems.

 

 In terms of technology, the field of view of VR headsets is a limitation. G2 Learning Hub states that “The average human can see… in roughly 200-220 degree arc”, whereas current headsets focus on a “114 degree arc” (https://learn.g2.com/how-does-vr-work), which limits the player’s immersion. Frame rate is also an issue. In traditional games, especially on consoles, many people play with 30-60 FPS, with only PC enthusiasts aiming for 90 or 120 fps and beyond. Usually only a matter of preference, frame rate is much more important on VR, with 60 fps being the minimum to prevent nausea and disorientation. This makes technical limitations a more prevalent issue for developers and consumers alike. A powerful PC is required for the best experience in graphically intensive games, and developers must put optimisation into careful consideration.

 

Accessibility is also an issue with VR. Even if VR was a flawless upgrade to traditional gaming, accessing the technology is a whole new problem. Headsets can be very expensive, with Valve’s ‘Index’ VR kit retailing at £919. Even cheaper offerings like PlayStation VR (£249) and the HTC Vive (£499) still require a powerful PC (or games console for PlayStation) to be used, making VR a very expensive technology to own. Besides this, many VR setups require an empty room dedicated to it, with some headsets like the Index requiring tracking stations to be placed around the room. Getting the full experience requires a lot of disposable income, investment in the hobby and a big empty room in your house, making VR seem more for enthusiasts than the average consumer. However, offerings like PlayStation VR and, to a lesser extent, mid-range options like the Oculus Rift S(£399) are much cheaper and more accessible (especially if you already own a console/PC). Not to mention inexpensive smartphone VR headsets, which turn your phone into a VR viewer. While smartphone viewers are mostly non-interactive introductions to VR, PlayStation VR is a competent VR experience without the steep price of the top range gear, and without requiring an empty room. This demonstrates that VR does not have to be such an investment, especially for people with pre-existing consoles or PCs who are a prominent target audience for VR.

 

 

Another solution to the issue of accessibility is the VR arcade. With home gaming systems becoming more commonplace the arcade has long been a rather redundant way to experience gaming. VR, however, with it’s costly price tag and space requirements has found success in dedicated ‘VR arcades’. Places such as the DNA VR in London (https://www.dnavr.co.uk) offer VR experiences for a fraction of the price of your own setup. Groups of any age can visit a VR arcade to play various multiplayer games together, introducing a social aspect to VR that draws more comparisons to a day out bowling than an enthusiast’s expensive hobby. People who want to try VR before purchasing their own equipment are able to visit one of these arcades to get a taste of the experience. Arcades are a great example of the impact of VR on more niche areas of the industry and how this can make the technology more accessible to a wider audience.

 

In regards to the industry itself, the increase in popularity of VR in recent years has opened a lot of options for companies in technology and games. Many indie games have had success with VR. Games like Beat Saber, Superhot, Boneworks and Job Simulator are good examples of this. The platform of VR is a rather unexplored one, being a new technology, with a lot of room for experimentation in how to use the technology in games - which is where indie games shine. Multiplayer games based around social or co-operative gameplay like ‘VR Chat’ and ‘Star Trek: Bridge Crew’ have also gained a lot of popularity, showcasing VR’s appeal as not just a single player experience but a more social one to be enjoyed with friends or even other players over the internet.

 

Many AAA companies have also been developing games for VR. Half-Life: Alyx is a shining example of a full length, high budget VR game that achieved great success. According to SteamDB(https://steamdb.info/app/546560/graphs/) the game reached a peak of 42,858 players - the previous record being held by Boneworks with a peak of 8,717 (https://steamdb.info/app/823500/graphs/ ).There have also been many ports of existing games into VR, like Bethesda’s ‘Skyrim’, ‘DOOM’, and ‘Fallout 4’ alongside games like ‘Resident Evil 7: Biohazard’ and ‘Batman Arkham VR’. This certainly shows interest in VR from AAA developers, with new VR titles being released like ‘Star Wars: Squadrons’ and ‘Iron Man VR’. VR is certainly not being ignored by companies in terms of game development. While VR games are not as popular as traditional games yet, this is to be expected due to people being reluctant to purchase VR systems. It is also worth mentioning that companies who offer VR technology such as Valve and Sony require the use of their platforms (Steam and PlayStation). This increases the appeal of these platforms, potentially drawing in consumers who did not use these platforms before and want to experience VR and benefiting the existing game industry.  As more and more promising games come out, VR is on the rise. According to TechJury, “Global VR video gaming revenues are expected to reach $22.9B in 2020”, while “the global AR and VR market is expected to grow to $209.2 billion by 2022” (https://techjury.net/blog/virtual-reality-statistics/#:~:text=78%25%20of%20Americans%20are%20familiar,bought%20a%20game%20on%20it.). This all points to VR being a very successful technology in the next few years, as revenue and popularity grow each year.

 

Overall, virtual reality is likely to have a large impact on the games industry in the future. While some limitations may hold it back now, the technology’s relevance only continues to grow. Restrictions such as cost, space and a limited library of games are currently holding back the appeal of VR to the mass market. I believe that as the technology advances and these limitations are addressed VR will definitely be here to stay. Virtual Reality offers the user such a unique experience compared to normal gameplay I can foresee it becoming mainstream. For this to happen, headsets need to become more comfortable, motion sickness needs to be addressed and the cost needs to be reduced. It needs to become more accessible so that the average consumer can use the technology within the confines of their own home. As time goes on and software developers,  business leaders and researchers continue to innovate and expand the library and technology, VR will become more and more desirable and have a large impact on the gaming industry as a whole.

 

REFERENCES

 

Techjury.net. (2020). Virtual Reality Statistics [online] Available at: https://techjury.net/blog/virtual-reality-statistics/#:~:text=78%25%20of%20Americans%20are%20familiar,bought%20a%20game%20on%20it [Accessed 4 August 2020]

 

DNA VR (2020). Virtual Reality Arcade [online] Available at: https://www.dnavr.co.uk [Accessed 4 August 2020]

 

Learn G2 (2019) Virtual Reality Tech Article [online] Available at: https://learn.g2.com/how-does-vr-work (Accessed 8 October 2020)

 

Heaven VR (https://vrheaven.io/vr-motion-sickness-statistics/ )

 

SteamDB. (2020). Half Life: Alyx - Steam Charts [online] Available at: https://steamdb.info/app/546560/graphs/ (Accessed 8 October 2020)

 

SteamDB. (2020). Boneworks - Steam Charts [online] Available at: https://steamdb.info/app/823500/graphs/ (Accessed 8 October 2020)

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

 

General:

 

Wikipedia. General Information about VR [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_reality

 

Lenovo.com. Types of Virtual Reality games [online] Available at:

https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/faqs/pc-life-faqs/what-is-virtual-reality-gaming/

 

Viar360.com. Alternative uses of VR in games industry [online] Available at:

https://www.viar360.com/future-virtual-reality-video-games/

 

Headstuff.org. Social games on VR and mobile VR [online] Available at:

https://www.headstuff.org/entertainment/gaming/vr-technology-and-the-gaming-world/

 

Grandviewresearch.com. General marketing and industry research [online] Available at:

https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/virtual-reality-in-gaming-market