Is virtual reality the way to bring romance back to online dating?
COULD VIRTUAL REALITY RESURRECT MODERN DATING?
Jessica and Nick are in the middle of their first date. It’s a magical one. They’re strolling d o wn the Champs- Élysées in Paris, stopping to appreciate the beautiful architecture and the odd art gallery that piques their interest. The have a spirited debate about the shades of meaning in a rare painting by Claude Monet. Next, they take in the Eiffel tower at night, adorned with sparkling golden lights that set the perfect romantic mood.
Their second date is no less impressive. Nick arranges the ultimate VIP Cirque de Soleil experience. They don’t just sit front row for a critically acclaimed Kurios performance; Nick and Jessica get to actually participate in the show from the centre of the stage.
Next, he whisks her off for a truly out- of- this- world experience. He takes her to outer space f or a l ow- gravity moonwalk where they bond over their encyclopedic knowledge of Star Trek and share a first kiss with Earth illuminated far in the distance.
On their fourth date, the budding couple will go on their greatest adventure yet. They’ll meet face-to-face over coffee.
Nick isn’t an eccentric billionaire who made his fortune in the high- stakes world of racing pigeons or the latest tech unicorn; he’s an average guy who works an unremarkable desk job. He’s been taking Jessica on virtual reality dates, where they’ve bonded over shared experiences, learned each other’s personality quirks and developed chemistry that goes beyond a superficial profile picture.
While this might seem like a scenario from the distant future or another episode of technoparanoia series Black Mirror, virtual reality dating may be the new normal sooner than you think. It’s no secret that cur- rent digital dating apps like Tinder, Bumble and Happn are pretty widely abhorred. While their easy- swipe f ormats at first seemed revolutionary, the Tinders of the world have created a superficial, flakey, hookupcentric dating culture.
If you’re lucky enough to find a potentially attractive mate in the sea of duck faces and tiger- posing frat bros, good luck getting them to keep up any semblance of a meaningful conversation. The entire process has been unflatteringly compared to online shopping and Vanity Fair even once dubbed the rise of Tinder “the dating apocalypse.”
So how do we fix dating? The notion of ditching digital dating entirely and going back to hoping for one- in- a- million random encounters and trying to pick up at bars and libraries isn’t realistic. Today’s daters simply don’t have the time or patience for such rituals. It’s why, despite the general hatred of dating apps, over 100 million people still use them on a daily basis.
Dating apps t hat rely on quick swipes and split- second superficial judgments may soon seem as outdated and quaint as meeting your future partner in the frozen food section. Tech companies are i nvesting big bucks and testing what they see as digital dating 2.0: virtual reality.
This January, Tinder unveiled a VR dating headset for two at the International Consumer Electronic Show. vTime is a free app that offers experiences like virtual comedy clubs, co-gaming experiences and art galleries. Elitist dating app The League is testing “Love Without Limits,” a collaboration with Oculus and River Studios, to throw VR blind date parties across America. Ceverum, which traditionally created apps to help improve public speaking skills and eye training techniques, now has a VR dating training course that covers skills like how to overcome shyness, respectful touch techniques and maintaining a proper energy level on a date.
Dating site eHarmony predicts we’ll regularly go on fullsensory ( i ncluding holding someone’s hand and smelling your partner’s perfume) VR dates by 2040. Our current 2D mode of online dating through photos and, increasingly, video limits our ability to truly gauge our attraction to another human. Obviously, real life isn’t 2D. The potential to meet others in 3D, getting a more accurate sense of how they look, act, touch, smell and even taste significantly increases the chances of finding a successful match. The muchcited complaint that someone doesn’t look like their profile pictures will be a distant problem of the past.
Rather than connecting with a match over boring “how was your day?” and “what are your hobbies?” text messages, VR opens up the possibility of reacting to viewing art, watching movies and sharing adventures with each other. You could participate in games and challenges together to gauge whether someone has the ability to talk through problems, compromise and lose gracefully. Presumably, it’d be easier to decipher whether someone is a colossal jerk or hopeless moron. Matches will be based less on someone’s cute hair and more on how a couple interacts, works as a team and builds chemistry.
The big seller of virtual reality dating is that it increases efficiency and saves time. We want to meet better matches, but we don’t want to spend more time and effort to do so. As many people know, first dates are often a massive waste of time and resources. With VR you can better assess a potential mate and even embark on dates without having to shower or leave the comfort of your couch. The investment is minimal, but the potential payoff is higher.
The rise of VR dating could also globalize our dating pool. Most dating apps today restrict matches by distance or, in the case of Happn, prioritize people we’re likely to cross paths with in daily life. Imagine being able to meet and date suitors from all over the world. With VR, our potential matches become limitless and long- distance dating becomes much more feasible. VR technology will eventually be able to transmit sensations like hugs, kisses and handholding. There are even armatures in development that can simulate the feel of breasts and computercontrolled sex toys that allow couples to be intimate hundreds of miles apart. Cybersex may soon take on a whole new meaning.
VR dating won’t just be for the young, either. While current dating apps find many of their users in the Millennial or Generation X demographics, VR hopes to appeal to all ages. As older generations live longer, there will be an increasing market for senior citizen dating. VR can appeal to older couples by allowing them to relive their first date or past trips without worrying about mobility or cost and allow single seniors to connect with partners, grow relationships and go on dates that would now be impossible. The same goes for anyone with a physical limitation.
Virtual reality may just be the saviour that resurrects modern dating. Imagine never having to go on an awkward first dinner date again where the most lively part of the evening is arguing over who gets to pay the bill. Instead, you can scuba dive through sunken ships, tour Jupiter’s moons or learn how to prepare gourmet meals from a celebrity chef — then simply log off and return to binging Netflix when it’s over.
VR dating has the potential to seem so real, so easy that it may no longer even be thought of as online dating. It will just be dating, and it will be better than ever.