Home Gaming Oculus thinks VR could focus more on films, not games

Oculus thinks VR could focus more on films, not games

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Virtual realiy might drop games for films?

Virtual Reality is still looking for the one “killer app” that will make it an essential way to game, watch movies and interact digitally every day. It wasn’t found during the Consumer Electronics Expo last week, but one thing was apparent – virtual reality and films have a bright future ahead, and even Oculus thinks the Rift will be more about movies than games.

That’s a bit of a shock from a company who began their virtual reality endeavours with the promise of building “the first truly immersive virtual reality headset for video games.” Speaking to the LA Times at CES, Oculus VR’s vice president for product Nate Mitchell expressed his view on where VR is going, saying that films could definitely become a main focus.

“We’ve said from the beginning we’re big gamers, and we started Oculus to deliver consumer VR and revolutionize games. But it may well end up being that VR is more about film than games. We don’t know what the killer app is.”

The Oculus Rift is still about games (primarily at least), but the way the market reacts to VR is pretty much out of Oculus’ hands. If films become a greater market than gaming, they could be forced to shift their focus to stay relevant, as would many other headset manufacturers.

I’ve experienced first hand how immersive a game with Oculus Rift can be, so I’m extremely excited at the prospect of what it could do for film as well. I also don’t think the two have to be mutually exclusive. Can’t a headset be great for games and movies?

Last Updated: January 12, 2015

41 Comments

  1. There is SOOOO many possible memes for that header image

    Reply

    • Admiral Chief

      January 12, 2015 at 13:01

      ALIENS

      Reply

    • Admiral Chief

      January 12, 2015 at 13:01

      BEWBS

      Reply

    • Admiral Chief

      January 12, 2015 at 13:01

      OMNOMNOM

      Reply

    • Admiral Chief

      January 12, 2015 at 13:02

      WHYYYYYYYYYYY

      Reply

    • Admiral Chief

      January 12, 2015 at 13:03

      ADRIANNNNN

      Reply

    • Hammersteyn

      January 12, 2015 at 13:09

      Nearsighted gynecologist?

      Reply

    • ToshZA

      January 12, 2015 at 13:13

      *are

      ~Edit: come to think of it – that’s my face every time you make these infuriating typos. 😀

      Reply

      • Admiral Chief

        January 12, 2015 at 13:14

        Right you is

        Reply

        • Blood Emperor Trevor

          January 12, 2015 at 13:16

          *rite

          Reply

          • Admiral Chief

            January 12, 2015 at 13:20

            Rite jou is

          • Norm (@e3zype3zy)

            January 12, 2015 at 13:23

            ekse

        • ToshZA

          January 12, 2015 at 13:25

          XD

          Reply

        • Quo Vadis?

          January 12, 2015 at 13:30

          You’re gramar and speling is atro-shus!

          Reply

          • Admiral Chief

            January 12, 2015 at 13:34

            This is deteriorating into (il)literacy of the cabinet

    • Joe Black

      January 12, 2015 at 15:24

      Can get fairly pornographic as well.

      Reply

  2. Admiral Chief

    January 12, 2015 at 13:04

    What about an interactive movie, with multiple angles?

    Reply

    • Jaded_Reprobate

      January 12, 2015 at 13:22

      things can only go downhill from here

      Reply

      • CypherGate

        January 12, 2015 at 15:31

        One word… GAPE

        Reply

  3. Hammersteyn

    January 12, 2015 at 13:09

    I’d love to watch movies on it. For academic purposes.

    Reply

    • Admiral Chief

      January 12, 2015 at 13:11

      You know, it is lunchtime, it is almost as if you want to spoil people’s appetite

      Reply

      • Hammersteyn

        January 12, 2015 at 13:15

        Lunch already? Time flies.

        Reply

  4. Blood Emperor Trevor

    January 12, 2015 at 13:10

    Immersion… to the exclusion of all else. That’s its problem.

    Until they make it something as simple as a pair of glasses, it’s not going to take off. Never mind pricing it attractively.

    Reply

  5. RinceThis

    January 12, 2015 at 13:13

    “You sure this isn’t cheating?”

    Reply

  6. Quo Vadis?

    January 12, 2015 at 13:18

    My two cents… in a world where people are going out less and less, conversations are now text based and you never see a phone ring with a friend saying “hi, wanna hang out?” anymore, this will be one of the final nails in the coffin for face to face interaction. I enjoy going out. I dislike whatsapp, BBM etc. So if its for gaming only, OK! otherwise, I think I’m going to pass 🙂

    Reply

    • Admiral Chief

      January 12, 2015 at 13:21

      I enjoy going out with my wife and my daughter doing fun things.
      I dislike other people interfering with this plan (traffic, queues, idiots and muppets)

      Reply

      • Quo Vadis?

        January 12, 2015 at 13:24

        but even that is ok. You’re outside. You get to interact with others, laugh at/ with complete strangers, memories are made (good or bad) and you get to tell stories that begin with “dude, you wont believe me but I saw/ did………….”

        Reply

        • Hammersteyn

          January 12, 2015 at 13:25

          I want to smell the smoke…

          Reply

          • Quo Vadis?

            January 12, 2015 at 13:26

            Move to Jhb, boet 😀

          • Admiral Chief

            January 12, 2015 at 13:27

            Kom ons braai!

        • Admiral Chief

          January 12, 2015 at 13:25

          Balance, you must have balance.

          Its been many moons since I last could make a claim of being hardcore gamer, however, I know have a behemoth of a PC compared to back then, with a mountain of games, but since balance must be achieved, the gaming does take second or third place

          Reply

          • Quo Vadis?

            January 12, 2015 at 13:29

            When I get the opportunity to go out or stay at home to play games, going out beats gaming by a country mile. I’m not saying I don’t like gaming, cause I do. A lot. That’s for the week. Weekends, I cannot wait to get out. But you’re right. Balance is crucial.

          • Admiral Chief

            January 12, 2015 at 13:33

            I only game when my wife and daughter are sleeping

          • Blood Emperor Trevor

            January 12, 2015 at 13:37

            Most weekends all I want is solitude. I’ve spent the whole week around people, then I get time completely by myself for myself.

  7. Ceyber, The Metal Rabbit

    January 12, 2015 at 13:19

    Way I see it there are two ways to go here… socially-acceptable (stylish aesthetics,
    more compact) or ergonomically sound (sensually immersive like those cinemas that spray scent all over the place).

    Why not use it like an Animus? Virtual tours and experiences of history, crafted by teams comprised of historians and programmers (among others).

    Reply

  8. RinceThis

    January 12, 2015 at 13:24

    “It tastes like chicken, what is it?”

    Reply

    • Blood Emperor Trevor

      January 12, 2015 at 13:29

      Oh I know this one. It’s the sound of leaves rustling in the breeze on a moonlit night.

      Reply

      • RinceThis

        January 12, 2015 at 13:36

        Oh you old romantic you!

        Reply

        • Blood Emperor Trevor

          January 12, 2015 at 13:38

          Who’da thunk it!

          Reply

  9. dude

    January 12, 2015 at 14:11

    “they could be forced to shift their focus to stay relevant”

    Perhaps they should be concerned about releasing a product first. That is all

    Reply

  10. Ghost In The Rift

    January 12, 2015 at 14:11

    What is this blasphemy they are speaking of??

    Twilight on VR??0_o

    Reply

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