3 Reasons Why Virtual Reality Games Are Awesome

Published Mon, Mar 26, 2018

Have you ever had a dream that felt so real you woke up thinking it actually happened? That all-encompassing feeling? That’s what virtual reality feels like. It’s not some passive experience like watching TV where the action is happening in front of you. In virtual reality, you are in the middle of the action. When you look around, you don’t see your living room. You are transported to a beautiful island where you can almost feel the ocean as you solve increasingly difficult puzzle games along your way to the top. VR games have stunning visuals, incredible experiences that feel like they’re real, and new ways to play games.

‘Full sensory immersion’ are the three words that set virtual reality apart from all other experiences. Imagine the thrill of driving in the Monaco Grand Prix, clutching a steering wheel, and navigating the scenic race. You could add a hydraulic chair to mimic the movement of the car – the impacts of hitting other cars, the uneasy lifting of a wheel as you turn a corner too fast. You could increasingly adjust the settings until you are truly driving at the skill level required to compete. What once was a game has turned into a training simulation that has significantly increased your skill level while eliminating the risk of injury. The applications of this are already being harnessed in football, Case Keenum took over 2,600 reps in Virtual Reality in 2017, and you’ll see examples of this in the upcoming Ready Player One.

Below are 3 reasons why virtual reality games are awesome.

1: You’re In The Middle Of The Action

When you wake up in Land’s End, you start in a cave. You wander your way out to the edge of a cliff and you make your way to the first puzzle. Not your character on the TV. You are doing this. Each step of the way, you are the one who is taking the action – not some character. When you are trying to solve a puzzle, it’s up to you to look at your surroundings for clues, think through the logic of the game to discover the solution, and execute the answer in order to progress. Every experience puts you in the middle of the action. It makes the game feel more real, more in your control. Only when you take the headset off do you leave the world of your game.

2: Games In Virtual Reality Feel Real

The NFL plans to talk to teams about how practices are conducted following a 73 percent increase in concussions during preseason workouts in 2017. Football quarterbacks don’t need to go through an in-person practice (which can lead to injuries) to get the valuable practice that they need. They can train in a safe environment using Virtual Reality (see Case Keenum).

From your own perspective though, imagine being able to take a hike, drop back a few steps, and release. All in the middle of your living room, but with your virtual reality headset, you’re playing at the Cowboy’s stadium in the Super Bowl. Watching replays on the TV monitors overhead of your incredible touchdown pass. You may not be Tom Brady, but you can feel what it’s like to throw the winning pass in a touchdown with hundreds of thousands of simulated fans around you. The games of the future will enable you to star as the MVP.

3: Safe Environments To Experience Any Game

Base jumping is an extremely dangerous sport, and as a result, most people never experience the rush of flying down a mountain. However, if you try Rush (the Virtual Reality game), you can sorta experience what it’s like to base jump off a mountainside. You won’t need the same skill level as you would in real life and if you smack into a tree you can start over without a scratch so you can safely experience a thrilling game in a way you’ve never done before.