Home Gaming Pachter thinks Virtual Reality is a fad

Pachter thinks Virtual Reality is a fad

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fad

It’s a fad, he says – specifically when it comes to videogames. And I agree with him. While VR is more mature as a technology than its ever been, and there will be a number of great VR games, it will remain a niche product when it comes to games. Speaking to Gamingbolt, the analyst explained why.

“Yes, I think it’s going to be a fad. I think that no one solved the vesticular motion problem which is where you get disoriented because your eyes are seeing something that the rest of your body isn’t experiencing. I think it’s an interesting concept, don’t get me wrong, and I think Facebook is right, there is potential for it beyond gaming…

“I mean, gaming is a fun reason to buy something, especially a device like Oculus Rift, but the truth is that maybe virtual surgery, or something like Ender’s Game or actually doing anything that way, there’s huge potential beyond gaming, but nothing as far as gaming goes.”

It’s because games are expensive, really – and developing huge, great games for new niche tech is like throwing money in to the wind.

“It’s hard to develop for, people aren’t going to develop for it unless there’s a large install base, and it’s too much of a niche for a large install base to ever show up without software. So I’d say fad is the right term.

Now Facebook might turn it into something that every household has one of, because, you know, maybe you can shop in a virtual grocery store, so Amazon might use VR so you can subscribe to Amazon Fresh, and shop for your groceries by walking up and down the aisles and picking them out, I mean that kind of stuff makes sense to me.

But, but I think that’s a much more practical application. And would I buy a VR headset for $10 so I could do something like that? Yes, I probably would. But would I pay $500 to do it? No, and I doubt many will. So, I don’t know what the applications are, but I think it’s a fad.”

So while VR might take off this time, it won;t have much of an application for gaming. 

Last Updated: April 25, 2014

86 Comments

  1. Hammersteyn

    April 25, 2014 at 14:07

    • Mike

      April 25, 2014 at 14:10

      but you actually have to walk?
      Actually is there a Mirrors Edge version?

      Reply

      • Alien Emperor Trevor

        April 25, 2014 at 14:14

        And wear special shoes. Which anyone seriously contemplating buying one of those things should be okay with, seeing as they’re already very very special.

        Reply

        • Wincethis

          April 25, 2014 at 14:25

          You told me you were very special last Saturday though…

          Reply

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            April 25, 2014 at 14:29

            I say a lot of things.

          • Wincethis

            April 25, 2014 at 14:30

            You do.

          • Jedi JJ

            April 25, 2014 at 14:30

            Wasn’t it you who told him he’s very special? That sounds more believable.

          • Wincethis

            April 25, 2014 at 14:32

            Maybe @disqus_DoEH3TsffU:disqus

      • Hammersteyn

        April 25, 2014 at 14:20

        dunno, but jumping could be dangerous.

        Reply

    • Sir Rants A Lot Llew. Jelly!!!

      April 25, 2014 at 14:20

      GIMME GIMME GIMME!

      Reply

      • Dutch Matrix

        April 25, 2014 at 14:27

        A man after midnight?

        Reply

        • Mossel

          April 25, 2014 at 14:40

          LOL!!

          Reply

        • Alien Emperor Trevor

          April 25, 2014 at 14:43

          En R50 is joune met die komplimente van ABSA!

          Reply

          • Jedi JJ

            April 25, 2014 at 14:45

            I remember when you could still buy something for R50.

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            April 25, 2014 at 15:17

            Chewing gum is a bad habit.

          • Mossel

            April 25, 2014 at 14:57

            Nie ABSA nie. Vokskas. My Vokskas, my bank.

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            April 25, 2014 at 14:59

            Is that a deliberate typo? O_o

          • Mossel

            April 25, 2014 at 15:02

            It’s an old Casper de Vries joke where he makes fun of Johan Stemmet. Stoot vir Stoot.

          • Dutch Matrix

            April 25, 2014 at 15:52

            Hoe betaal hulle Johan Stemmet?
            Noot vir Noot!
            #lame ek weet… 😛

        • Sir Rants A Lot Llew. Jelly!!!

          April 25, 2014 at 15:04

          DOH. Noooooooooo

          Reply

    • Dutch Matrix

      April 25, 2014 at 14:20

      Not for Lazygamer’s then?

      Reply

      • Hammersteyn

        April 25, 2014 at 14:23

        nah, at less i can walk by flexing my ass.

        Reply

        • VampyreSquirrel

          April 25, 2014 at 14:46

          Even that’s too much work

          Reply

          • Hammersteyn

            April 25, 2014 at 14:53

            Agreed

    • Wincethis

      April 25, 2014 at 14:23

      What’s the point? I walk every fucking day. Thought the point of games was to remove us reality, not make us play it 0-o

      Reply

      • Hammersteyn

        April 25, 2014 at 14:23

        hahaha

        Reply

      • Prophet Kensei Seraph

        April 25, 2014 at 14:23

        This would replace the treadmill in your local gym.

        Reply

        • Wincethis

          April 25, 2014 at 14:24

          WHAT THE FUCK IS A GYM!?

          Reply

          • Prophet Kensei Seraph

            April 25, 2014 at 14:25

            A large building with a huge pool in it.
            I think there’s also other things like treadmills but I’ve only heard rumors about that.

          • Hammersteyn

            April 25, 2014 at 14:27

            Didn’t recognize the word gym, thought it was a typo for a second.

          • HvR - THE Average GAmer

            April 25, 2014 at 14:46

            Pool???? I thought it was big smoothie bar that smells funny.

          • Mossel

            April 25, 2014 at 14:40

            I think it is short for gymatorium.

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            April 25, 2014 at 14:41

            Sounds like a crematorium for living people.

          • Mossel

            April 25, 2014 at 14:44

            No no, in a gymatorium people go to let go of some hormones and bury their OMG YOU’RE RIGHT!

          • Jedi JJ

            April 25, 2014 at 14:45

            LOL

          • Wincethis

            April 25, 2014 at 14:41

            That makes sense! Wait what?

          • Mossel

            April 25, 2014 at 14:46

            I know, right?!

          • Jedi JJ

            April 25, 2014 at 14:41

            It’s gymnesticide. Don’t embarrass yourself. 😉

          • Mossel

            April 25, 2014 at 14:42

            Dammit! I always confuse those.

          • Sk3tz0

            April 25, 2014 at 14:49

            Only Gym i need is a Pokemon Gym 😛 ahahaha..

          • Jedi JJ

            April 25, 2014 at 15:03

            It’s spelled Jim. Earthworm Jim. There can be only one.

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            April 25, 2014 at 15:16

            What about Banana Jim?

          • Wincethis

            April 25, 2014 at 15:16

            Ouch, you have @johnambitious:disqus right over a barrel there. Should I leave you two alone?

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            April 25, 2014 at 15:18

            We could take turns? I don’t mind sharing.

          • Wincethis

            April 25, 2014 at 15:20

            You’ve got a date! No, wait what?

          • Jedi JJ

            April 25, 2014 at 16:11

            I step away for one hour and this is what happens.

        • Dutch Matrix

          April 25, 2014 at 14:28

          And then video games will get the blame for kids being too fit…

          Reply

      • Hammersteyn

        April 25, 2014 at 14:24

        Plug this into Outlast or Amnesia.

        Reply

        • Wincethis

          April 25, 2014 at 14:24

          I live in Claremont, that’s a short walk from Tiger Tiger.

          Reply

    • Sk3tz0

      April 25, 2014 at 14:32

      I can already see the NEW Blog of VR related injuries.. like when the Wii was released..

      Reply

    • Jedi JJ

      April 25, 2014 at 14:33

      I want to see people doing this with Skyrim.

      Reply

      • Wincethis

        April 25, 2014 at 14:34

        HAHAHAHAH! Man, that makes me laugh. “So OVG, you think you are hardcore because you don’t use instant travel…? Riiiiight”

        Reply

        • Jedi JJ

          April 25, 2014 at 14:37

          Oh man. The thing has to incline though when you walk up a mountain, that should be fun.I also barely use fast travel. Only when I’m over-encumbered and I have a strength potion on me. Ready to sell some sheet.

          Reply

        • Unavengedavo

          April 25, 2014 at 14:42

          Hehe “Fast travel is for pussies

          Reply

      • Rags

        April 25, 2014 at 14:40

        It looks so damn awkward, and on a hot South African day you are going to sweat like a pig. 😛

        Reply

      • HvR - THE Average GAmer

        April 25, 2014 at 14:48

        Or horror survival game, getting scared shitless turning around and running into a wall.

        Reply

        • Jedi JJ

          April 25, 2014 at 14:48

          Slender. I’d run right over that damn treadmill. All you’ll smell is burnt rubber.

          Reply

          • Prophet Kensei Seraph

            April 25, 2014 at 14:51

            Hahaha.

  2. Alien Emperor Trevor

    April 25, 2014 at 14:09

    I HAVE A BRILLIANT IDEA!

    You combine VR, Amazon Fresh & telepresence in order for you to see through the eyes of a real, personalised shopping assistant walking down the aisle so you can pick & choose from the comfort of your own couch. It will be called AMAZON FLESH! Meat puppets for everyone!

    Reply

    • Prophet Kensei Seraph

      April 25, 2014 at 14:19

      Wasn’t there something like this in the movie Gamer?

      Reply

      • Alien Emperor Trevor

        April 25, 2014 at 14:22

        I don’t know.

        Reply

      • Wincethis

        April 25, 2014 at 14:27

        Yip 🙂

        Reply

  3. Exalted Overlord Geoffrey Tim

    April 25, 2014 at 14:09

    GREMLINS ATE MY SENTENCE

    Reply

    • Alien Emperor Trevor

      April 25, 2014 at 14:09

      They ate way more than a sentence 😛

      Reply

    • Prophet Kensei Seraph

      April 25, 2014 at 14:14

      This one? “While VR is ore mature as a technology than its ever been,…”

      Reply

    • Prophet Kensei Seraph

      April 25, 2014 at 14:15

      And this one as well? “It’s because games are expensive, rally – and developing huge, great games for new niche tech is like throwing money in to the wind.”

      Reply

    • Jedi JJ

      April 25, 2014 at 14:31

      Luckily no one got you wet. Wait, that’s not right.

      Reply

  4. Rags

    April 25, 2014 at 14:11

    He expects to pay $10? When a good gaming monitor costs $350-$1000?
    Also with Unreal Engine support and other engines soon to support it you already have most of his problems solved. And the body motion has already been given a HUGE boost with Crystal Cove positional tracking. It works perfectly for any cockpit game.

    A fad not, since this time around its proven tech with people like Tim Sweeny, Carmack and Valve betting on it. And these guys are the Gods of tech and the Gaming Industry.

    Its a niche, not a fad.

    Reply

    • Rags

      April 25, 2014 at 14:28

      He is also completely wrong about the Amazon thing imo. Its not a better User Experience like that. The point of shopping online is speed with a quick, intuitive interface.

      Reply

    • geelslang

      April 25, 2014 at 14:36

      Im still getting one, even if its just for the indie horror games and maybe Star Citizen. Anything else it can do is a bonus.

      Reply

      • Rags

        April 25, 2014 at 14:46

        Same. Saved up. My wallet is ready. 😀

        Reply

        • geelslang

          April 25, 2014 at 14:55

          Doing that to people I know is worth the asking price alone.

          Reply

  5. Guest

    April 25, 2014 at 14:12

    What features does the pet rock include?

    Reply

    • Alien Emperor Trevor

      April 25, 2014 at 14:21

      Minimal feeding.
      Non-judgmental.
      Always happy to see you.
      Quiet.
      In case of emergency it can be used to break glass.
      Although for an extra $2 you can upgrade to an e-SATA connector instead of standard USB.

      Reply

  6. Sk3tz0

    April 25, 2014 at 14:15

    VR all fun and Dandy till they go SWORD ART ONLINE with that shit.. LOL..

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sword_Art_Online

    Really cool anime for those who like MMO and Anime..

    Reply

  7. Wincethis

    April 25, 2014 at 14:33

    Sorry, I can ‘walk’ up an down my grocery isle already, it’s called a fucking mouse.

    Reply

    • Alien Emperor Trevor

      April 25, 2014 at 14:35

      Especially around the island freezers.

      Reply

      • Wincethis

        April 25, 2014 at 14:40

        Sorry, must be a Friday thing but that was totally lost on me.

        Reply

        • Alien Emperor Trevor

          April 25, 2014 at 14:41

          It’s a work-related joke. Trust me, it’s killing over here. I’m the boss right now.

          Reply

          • Wincethis

            April 25, 2014 at 14:42

            Oh, I thought OVG and the Admiral were the bosses today?! BOOM!

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            April 25, 2014 at 14:43

            No one’s the boss of me!

  8. Sk3tz0

    April 25, 2014 at 14:34

  9. OminousRain

    April 25, 2014 at 14:38

    One thing i really hoped was a fad, is 3D.
    It was fun the first time. But now, I will go out my way to watch a movie in 2D than 3D.

    Reply

  10. MakeItLegal

    April 25, 2014 at 15:46

    hate to admit it but his right , its gana cost to much to develop a VR game from ground up , not a large enough install base i get that.

    but where he says no gaming applications , well now MR P….i think that’s a bit short sighted , yes maybe this GEN its a Fad , but i wouldn’t be surprised if VR is built into next gen

    Reply

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