How has virtual reality contributed to the future of game development, and what attracts game developers to use this expansive technology?
Things are shaking up fast in the game developing world. The pandemic has propelled the gaming industry alongside being coupled with more affordable headsets.
Earlier this year, Meta announced that more than 60 games available to the Oculus headset series have surpassed the $1 million in sales threshold; with 6 boasting over $10 million in 2020. According to Lewis Ward, Research Director of gaming, esports and VR/AR at the International Data Corporation, a market intelligence firm, this is a strong indication that the industry is set for an exciting 2022.
What makes a game successful is, for the most part, the storytelling element. Games have to break the barrier between the screen in order to resonate emotions to the gamer.
Here is how virtual reality can change the game:
Engagement
VR’s expansive nature offers game developers outstanding solutions to connect to gamers like never before. Chris Busse, President of Skydance Interactive stressed that there’s an escapism, an immersion and presence that VR offers that you just can’t get anywhere else. Game developers can now focus more on the experience and the story rather than the visuals, which are still “rudimentary” at the time of writing given the current hardware specification. But that’s not a bad thing. Indie games with popular 90s visuals are back and are gaining huge popularity, emphasising the importance of the depth of a story rather than the surface value of a game.
Portability
It is no surprise that the Nintendo Switch is one of the most successful consoles right now, and perhaps the biggest selling point is the fact that you can take it and play anywhere, anytime. Games using VR headsets can boast this feature and transport the experience one step further: imagine playing a VR game while you’re on the tube? Stranger things have happened in London.
Reach
VR is exciting. It is uncharted territory for most mainstream gamers and it is one with immense possibilities to lure and attract a new segment of undiscovered gamers. As Elizabeth Loverso, VP of Product Development at Ubisoft’s Red Storm Entertainment, brilliantly puts it “VR has the potential to appeal to not only gamers but also to a wider audience through its capability to provide unique player experiences”.
According to Statista, VR gaming revenue is expected to reach $1.6 billion in 2022 and could increase by 50% up to $2.4 billion in 2024. It is a market that keeps evolving as the technology is founded on the dream to immerse in uncharted worlds.
At MOONHUB, we work to provide similar experiences to our clients and their employees, to make it as engaging and as much of a learning experience as games are to us. We believe training should be experiential and thus should emotionally connect with the trainee; we help you achieve this by providing you and your business with tailored solutions for you and your employee needs.
