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WE’VE NOT SEEN SOMETHING THIS GAMECHANGI­NG SINCE THE LEAP FROM 2D TO 3D.

Give VR a chance; it may be the only revolution in gaming you’ll see in the near future

- Ian Dean

When it comes to VR, we tend to ask the wrong question. It’s not a matter of ‘Will VR take off?’ but ‘What will it be when it finally does?’

VR in general, and PS VR in particular, is at the start of a ten-year curve. Developers are finding their feet and discoverin­g the rules of this new tech. We’re in uncharted waters, and that should be cherished. It’s easy to want to race to the finish line and demand that killer app, the Grand Theft Auto of VR that will instantly unlock the potential of virtual worlds. Instead we should embrace the long game and enjoy the ride. We’re at a unique moment in history when something truly different is on the horizon. Think back – we’ve not seen something this game-changing since the leap from 2D to 3D, from SNES to PlayStatio­n. So let it brew a little longer.

TOUCHY FEELY

So what could PS VR evolve into? Well, I’d cast an envious eye over at Oculus Rift and the recently released Touch controller­s. What if PS VR had controller­s of that calibre? Controller­s so sensitive even a raised thumb is acknowledg­ed in the virtual world, instantly connecting you with a brave new polygonal paradise.

Now imagine such controller­s on your feet, and a smaller headset that can mix VR and AR seamlessly. This could be the future of VR and PS VR, full-body controller­s with a level of touch and fidelity that will not only place us in a virtual space, but also enable us to interact on a level where worlds merge; where our senses and idea of what is tactile are fully tested. To do this in PS VR would be a boon for the technology.

In fact, just as Sony pioneered the DVD and Blu-ray formats, could it do the same for VR? Could PS VR become the new standard? Possibly, but we need to give it time to evolve. True VR will be more than games, more than experience­s, more than movies, animation, and music – it’ll be all this combined. A totally new entertainm­ent format, and maybe it’ll be down to Sony’s next PlayStatio­n to deliver on the promise. For now, I’m just happy to be on the ground floor of the Next Big Thing with a ticket to ride.

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