If Virtual Reality is Only for Gaming, it's Already Dead

Virtual Reality or VR is getting a lot of mixed opinions at the moment. On one side, you've got people saying it's the next big thing for gaming, and it will redefine the gaming market. On the other side, you've got people saying it's overpriced and will be a fad like 3D glasses were.

One side of that argument is wrong, the other is incredibly short sighted.

If virtual reality is only for gaming, it's already dead.

I don't think people are really seeing the big picture with virtual reality.

Seeing people face-to-face is hugely beneficial. It's why people fly around the world for a single meeting. Seeing somebody and feeling you are with them, just can't be emulated through a 2D Google Hangout or Skype conversation.

Now, you can sit around an empty table, and just produce the rest of your board, much like in the popular movie Kingsman: The Secret Service.

Or what about using it in schools? We've already got Skype in the classroom which allows teachers all around the world to invite people into the classroom to talk about what they do, or help people explore the country they are in. It basically brings the outside world in and gives children a safe view into a world they otherwise wouldn't have been able to access.

As you can see, currently this doesn't look anything more than an interactive video that can talk back to you. But this could be completely immersive with the help of VR. To be able to look around, and feel you're actually in the setting.

Or what about a new route entirely? I have a great Grandmother called Dora who has recently just turned 100 years old (Shout out to my Nan!). She's an incredible lady, who's seen a lot of things and has a load of great stories. Unfortunately, she's spent the last few years chair or bed bound.

She's still excited by the world, and interested in what's going on in it but, unfortunately, isn't able to visit it. A virtual reality headset would be able to completely change it. If she wanted to go and visit the Grand Canyon or go into space she absolutely could. There's now nothing stopping her.

A lot of people are saying that VR is still extremely expensive. For the most cases, this is very true with the current Oculus Rift coming in at $599 (£410) at the time of writing. But even the basic Google Cardboard which you can find for under £15 can still absolutely blow people away.

The area in which we will see VR really take off though is through websites. VR will be the next mobile, which completely changed the way we view the web. YouTube has already brought VR to its website, so you can take a tour around the White House at Christmas for some reason. But what about on e-commerce websites? You could actually ride that rollercoaster before you go to the next theme park. Or you could look at yourself in that new outfit before purchasing. People just need to get imaginative and anything is possible.

These are just a short list of ideas I can come up with after hearing all too many people say that VR is just for gaming. I'm sure other smarter people will come up with even better ideas than this. What would you like to see VR used for? Reach out to me on Twitter, or in the comments, and tell me your thoughts.