Virtual reality’s impact on the gaming industry hasn’t been as profound as some pundits had anticipated. The high cost of entry has had a lot to do with slow adoption although it’s just one of several contributing factors.
Game developers and publishers have been somewhat reluctant to jump aboard the VR bandwagon, and for good reason. It’s an unproven platform and a new medium that requires loads of processing power. It’s no surprise, then, that many devs have elected to come out of the gate with experiences that – while fun and innovative at times – are rather simplistic.
As the medium matures, we’re seeing game makers gain more confidence and a willingness to bring high-profile IPs to the virtual world. Capcom was among the first to do so with the launch of Resident Evil 7 and soon, Bethesda will join the list.
The publisher this week revealed launch dates for virtual reality versions of three establishes franchises. Skyrim VR is scheduled to arrive on November 17 for Sony’s PlayStation VR platform followed by Doom VFR for PS VR and HTC Vive and Fallout 4 VR on December 12 for the Vive.
Speaking of, HTC earlier this week trimmed $200 off the cost of its Vive VR headset. That brings the price down from $799 to $599 and puts it in a better position to compete on price with the Oculus Rift. Facebook-owned Oculus permanently slashed the price of the Rift earlier this summer to $499 although for a limited time, the headset can be had for just $399.
