The biggest VR headsets have been on the market for nearly a year now. Even with all that time, developers are still ironing out some kinks and finding new ways to improve the hardware. Often times the more powerful headsets tend to be heavy and uncomfortable, putting unnecessary strain on the head and neck. This makes marathon gaming sessions a grueling process. As a result, developers are trying to find new ways to tackle these problems while also improving the user experience. It’s also something that will need to be overcome quickly if VR hopes to become more than just a novelty.
One of the latest advancements has been a new peripheral for the HTC Vive. This piece of headgear is not only supposed to be more comfortable, but will also provide enhanced audio for a better overall experience. The ergonomically designed headstrap integrates the headphones directly into the design to consolidate the setup and provide high-quality audio while also doing more to support to the head and neck. The Deluxe Audio Strap is expected to be released this June.
Oculus is also on the verge of releasing its second piece of hardware with the company hard at work on the Oculus Rift 2. While there’s little argument that the first device was amazing, there was a lot of room for improvement. Some are hoping that they will be able to expand on the Touch controllers to create a more intuitive experience, while also making the headset itself less obtrusive. In order for users to feel like they’re truly in the game, they’ll first have to be able to forget about the headset. That can be hard to do with a heavy piece of equipment putting a crick in your neck. That said, manufacturers and designers are focused on creating the best time possible for customers, and this goes far beyond just Oculus and HTC.
Creating more immersive environments has long been the goal of developers. This goes for AAA studio designers creating big-budget console games to smaller companies looking to creating better experiences for casual gamers. One area where we’ve seen significant advancements is the world of online gaming. Online casino developers have been experimenting with the format of live casino gaming for years now to provide more real, interactive and glamorous variations of games. So far, it has proven to be immensely popular. The games use a live video feed that allows the player to directly interact with actual dealers in real-time for a more immersive experience. As more VR headsets begin to support mobile devices, it’s likely that we’ll see the technology adapted to this as well. It’s only a matter of time before gamers will be able to even play titles like Candy Crush and Game of War through virtual reality.
VR is just getting warmed up, and the technology is only going to keep getting better. Now that the public has had time to try it out, developers will be able to go back and focus on what works while fixing what doesn’t. It might not seem like it, but we’re really in the age of VR—and that’s only going to become more apparent in the next few years.
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