In the world of modernization in gaming, technology within this market has never ever been as intrinsically advanced as it is in today’s world. From the newer models of Nintendo Switches, Xbox’s, PlayStations, and virtual reality devices like Apple’s vision goggles, gaming has truly proven there are no limits within the gaming industry at this point. The arguably superior branch of gaming is in the modem of virtual reality: VR gaming… without a doubt. Nowadays, most users can enter an entire world of virtual reality, and all through online gaming equipment. This is in plenty of games such as World of Warcraft full immersion user interfaces, or through the help of engineered vision googles such as through virtual reality segments at Disney parks at Epcot or newly manufactured devices such as Apple’s Vision Pro. Through this vision Google’s users can not only perform in augmented reality, multi-task with apps, but also interact with other users via virtual reality games and user-interface. So, to put it in simpler terms: the user while wearing them can see what is in front of them for daily interaction while they still interact with the same apps, they typically see listed on most iPhones or iPads. The future of VR gaming will expand even further than this and become more accessible for users too in terms of cost-friendliness. It’s all a matter of timing, since we are progressing constantly as a society.

Enter the VR Realm

VR has early origins dated back to 1968 by Iven Sutherland, who was one of the first to develop virtual reality headsets. He didn’t have the ability to make it portable without making it possibly deadly simultaneously. We definitely come a long way since then. From early forms of two-dimensional characters to early films that retooled concepts.  Welt am Draht, The Lawnmower Man, and The Matrix by which the biggest $400m project to explore the intricacies of entering a virtual world to simulate a real world, are all examples in modern film. It tackled the moral implications of using VR technologies on the human consciousness to artificially attempt to live a life that was far superior to their own. People are so enamored by fantasy, addicts never wanted to leave their chairs. The central arguments nowadays are how far is too far with artificial technology? People artificially attempt to doctor as much as their lives as possible. Photoshopping, AI art, genetic codes even manufactured for different body parts, the ultimate purpose being aesthetic enhancements. When setting the standard for computer generated art, gaming is the perfect medium for such a thing. It invites such technical skills for true gamers like coding for software improvement, hand-eye-coordination, and bounties of experiences in which to use critical thinking. The VR gamer is aware that they are in a virtual world as it is designed to be a figment of their imagination. It invites them to then step into a protagonist’s shoes and find out if they were able to make the same game-winning decision as their hero and mimic similar success. Gamers feel triumphantly confident they can handle certain situations in life based on scenarios created by gaming technology. It is a clear mimic of life that to compare the two would make users feel ridiculous comparing the two. Entertainment is a medium that is strictly used to enable the creative potential of the consumer in this case through gaming facilities and through ways of hidden codes and vectors that do artifice the game.

Should AI Characters Just Be in VR Gaming?

Artificial intelligence is society’s attempt to automate simple labor. It turns difficult tasks into easy ones with technology and advancement, when it tramples the pure artistry involved in human expression which is where it has overstepped its bounds, logistically. That is why in certain art mediums, artificial intelligence simply cannot work. Filmmaking is a big one. And it led to one of the biggest film strikes in history. Actors must connect with their audience. This requires emotions and human understanding artificial humanoids cannot replicate. The ethics behind that put all human AI models under question and certain sci-fi/fantasy cinematography under serious scrutiny. Just because you can automate film does not mean it works in every scenario. But fantasy creatures in Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, or Game of Thrones cannot be a connection to a human audience either way, and can only be generated artificially and with help from newer software models. It is appropriate to use AI this way, and it would be impossible not to. The battle for worker’s rights in artificial intelligence Hollywood rages on, as most actors support an outright ban of it.

VR Gaming In Today’s World

Among the top of the current crop of VR games is “Beat Saber.” It’s a computer-generated game that allows users to play a very Guitar Hero-esque game that uses Star Wars-esque “lightsabers” to destroy targets heading towards the player. The setting is similar to Tron Legacy in its neon dark backdrop patterns and clarity in the effects. The three-dimensional interface easily makes it a VR gaming favorite and worth the buy if you want physical motion in association with playing video games.  Superhot VR offers a full game walkthrough. The game is set on a power grid empty office space that utilizes a three-color palette. In the simulation I viewed I saw white, red, and blue. Then its awesome functionality comes into play. It can be used for target practice, combat, and gun wielding. The game’s fight simulation is that of Katniss Everdeen‘s fight training during the second Hunger Games film. It even has motion targets move in slow motion so you can properly analyze target selection and the impact of firing. It’s a consumer favorite.

Another most unique example is Resident Evil, VR mode. Most people question what it is like to live the events of a horror film while knowing the apocalypse is a nightmare. This game gives you the opportunity to live the action events of apocalyptic horror films, without ever honestly putting you in any real danger. Adrenaline alone is likely to give you peak interest. So that’s the biggest draw to a game like this. The effects itself are a cinematographic utopia. It is thrilling and terrifying for users most likely in equal measure.

The world of VR, although fascinating, is extremely costly, which still turns users off to expanding into the world of technology at this magnitude. VR gaming since its early conception is typically more than people are willing to pay for most game consoles. Even the earlier test concepts nowadays would be equivalent to on average $3000… for just goggles. The highest prices would be something close to $145,255.95 for the full VOXEL-MAN ENT full system. That sounds like a good choice over a house’s down payment, huh? The launch of Apple’s vision pro was meant with public dissatisfaction groans and sighs, since the cost was priced exactly the same as other VR models and even more expensive than Apple’s other products. The only difference is that Apple may offer both augmented reality and virtual reality for every user of the product. It is still not enough to justify a financially burnt-out consumer market and pressure-filled declining economy. In the ever-growing weariness of inflation where it is best to keep prices as stable as possible, who would want a world where entertainment couldn’t exist simply because people don’t stimulate this part of the economy and could no longer afford this luxury? The greed alone of certain corporations might embolden this, but ultimately the gaming industry was priced fairly and most consumers were satisfied… with the only exception being the cost of goggles for VR or AR. One way to simplify the issue is to minimalize the functionality of VR goggles. Perhaps this was because a price decrease. Or another option is the wage adjustment issue plaguing the economy. Instead of going to deeply into politics, it’s best to simply encourage users to know their rights, and in this case entertainment and the right to play games.

The Future of VR Gaming

The possibilities are endless and game designers as well as owners are looking to keep VR gaming on the market. Once it simplifies some quirks it should be cost-effective to get games and play them feverishly. As well as maintaining consumer interest by developing more advanced games, possibly some that encourage actual workouts to stimulate couch weariness. The current gaming scientists are hard at work with gaming technology. The whole world wants to see technology be developed. We just don’t want to be left behind in automation or hurt by game systems that don’t encourage creativity simply for product pushing and profit capitalizing, but we are invested in creative interest and a reasonable cost for the sake of entertainment. We’d like to see advancements made into more multi-sensory equipment (even though such equipment is already impressive), and we’d like to see if there is a way to expand into typical gaming systems… with the current push for tech advancements, anything can be possible…