Technology is continually advancing, with big companies and developers pushing to put the latest, most innovative scientific knowledge to use in their projects. Spending on AR/VR is expected to rise at a compound annual growth rate of 77% through 2023, which is undoubtedly going to open up a range of very exciting opportunities for developers, particularly so in the gaming world.
VR And AR In Gaming
In recent years, there has been a significant jump forward for virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). The use of these technologies has transformed the experience of gaming, making it far more realistic and immersive, and benefitting a wide range of games, from some casino websites and the best slot sites, to video and computer games.
VR and AR tech can make us feel as though we are really there, alive and exploring in whatever virtual world we might find ourselves in.
The PlayStation VR currently offers players the ability to explore their virtual surroundings in 360 degrees, whilst the PlayStation 3DRudder brings greater immersion to the gaming experience as well as a great level of practicality. Players are able to spin, tilt and apply pressure using just their feet as a way of working their way around PlayStation VR games.
It is expected that in the not so distant future, VR gaming will become much more affordable and thus popular. In the past, virtual headsets have cost a fair sum, but with market competition on the rise, they are set to become increasingly affordable to the average consumer.
It is also expected that as time goes on, the quality of VR will of course improve, meaning that even in just a few more years, VR gaming will be even more immersive and realistic, leaving players feel even more so that they have been sucked right into the action of a game.
VR Communities?
But what about future predictions for the use of VR And AR tech outside of the gaming world? Well, the CEO and founder of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, believes that VR has the potential to become a new social and entertainment hub. This would enable people to meet others who share the same interests and have the same goals, build relationships and share their enthusiasm and drive in the hyper-targeted communities which they create. It is thought that virtual reality will make the things that we do already on a screen at home, like online shopping, working from home, watching television series, and interacting with our friends and family, much more natural, fun and enjoyable.
Will AR Have A Greater Impact Than VR?
Some people believe that the impact of AR on our day to day lives will be far greater than the impact of VR, arguing and predicting that it will establish itself as the most significant productivity tool of all time.
It is predicted that AR will become the visual equivalent to voice assistants such as Alexa, Bixby, Siri and Google Home, and will benefit us regardless of whether we are at home, work, out shopping or travelling aboard. It is thought that AR, with its constant processing of contextual information, will in time become our very own personal assistants, making multi-tasking far easier and helping to reduce general stress in the day to day running of our lives.
VR And AR Will Soon Converge
VR and AR, fundamentally, are different levels of immersion of the same media. AR is partially immersive, whilst VR is “complete” immersion. AR tech is considerably more complex, as it requires machine-based learning to understand the terrain, as well as VR tracking technology.
It is predicted that within the next ten to fifteen years, headsets will be able to simultaneously support both technologies. VR and AR will converge into a singular medium where consumers are able to choose which level of immersion they wish to experience.
VR and AR technologies have already come a considerable way over the past handful of years, with PlayStation primarily leading the way in the world of gaming world. However, there is still the potential for much more from AR and VR, in both gaming and in other aspects of daily life.
It is difficult to know exactly where these technologies will have taken us within the next decade or so, but it is likely to be somewhere very exciting as the VR and AR industry is booming and set to really blow up in the not too distant future, with big companies investing substantial sums of money into the advancement of these immersive technologies. Things are definitely looking more than promising for AR and VR tech within the next decade or so
Marc
Marc is a self-confessed nerd. Ever since seeing Star Wars for the first time around 1979 he’s been an unapologetic fan of the Wars and still believes, with Clone Wars and now Underworld, we are yet to see the best Star Wars. He’s a dad of two who now doesn’t have the time (or money) to collect the amount of toys, comics, movies and books he once did, much to the relief of his long-suffering wife. In the real world he’s a graphic designer. He started Following the Nerd because he was tired of searching a million sites every day for all the best news that he loves and decided to create one place where you can go to get the whole lot. Secretly he longs to be sitting in the cockpit of his YT-1300 Corellian Transport ship with his co-pilot Chewie, roaming the universe, waiting for his next big adventure, but feels just at home watching cartoons with his kids….
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