Is VR still the next big thing?
Is VR the next big thing? I’ll bet on it, even after Facebook just closed 200 of its pop-up stores for its acclaimed Oculus Rift headset.
You may remember six years ago when 3-D television sets were all the rage. Disney even created ESPN 3-D as a premium service. It didn’t last long. I believe this had to do with people not really wanting to pay a premium to stick silly goggles on their heads in the middle of a social experience.
Well, what makes VR different? VR is much, much more immersive. Don’t believe me? Go to one of the pop-up stores that isn’t closed or get one of Google Cardboard viewers and use your smartphone, they’re really cheap. 3-D TVs were an expensive novelty and VR is an inexpensive immersive experience. Still don’t believe me? Than look at what’s happening in the adult entertainment industry. You can Google that one yourself.
So what does that mean to us not in the adult entertainment business? It means we have to learn new forms of storytelling. We need to adapt our techniques and tools to what’s next. We need to educate ourselves on the cutting edge.
Most importantly, I do believe that VR is the next big thing but it’s not going to completely take over entertainment and advertising. It’s going to become another platform much like mobile, set-top and the web are now. Or a better analogy might be gaming. Gaming is huge but it hasn’t taken over traditional media and entertainment platforms and also isn’t for everyone.