Modern Technology and Video Games — How VR & AR Impact Gaming
Since the early days of gaming, companies have tried to integrate specialized
technology like virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) to create a
more immersive experience. For decades, technology simply couldn’t match the level of creativity and intuition and led to less than stellar results. But
now, technology has finally caught up to the creative minds in the industry,
allowing games to properly utilize VR and AR.
These same creative minds have created new frontiers for gaming to explore, such as Web3 and the Metaverse, which can bring an even greater level of immersion for players. Whether it’s a chance to “play-to-earn" or own NFT items that can be used in multiple games, or the opportunity to meet with friends and attend concerts without leaving the comfort of home, the new generation of technology can integrate gamers in a way we’ve never thought possible.
This is the first article of a series exploring the history of each of these technologies and how they’ve affected gaming over time.
The History of Virtual Reality and Gaming
It seems that, for as long as video game creators have been building worlds,
they’ve also been trying to immerse players into them with virtual reality – to varying results. In the early days of gaming, virtual reality was incredibly
limited, restricted to simple movements via wearable technology like gloves.
For many, this description immediately elicits visions of Nintendo’s PowerGlove, an early piece of wearable technology that allowed gamers to play without a traditional controller. Unfortunately, the PowerGlove was plagued by ineffective controls, a clunky design, and boring software, but it was a start.
Playing Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! With The Power Glove
Nintendo’s next famous foray into VR wasn’t much better. The Virtual Boy was a standalone virtual reality console created and distributed by Nintendo in 1995. Unlike the PowerGlove, the Virtual Boy allowed users to immerse themselves into the game by inserting their head into a mounted display that blocked out the outside world.
The system lacked the movement controls of the PowerGlove and instead utilized a standard controller to play games, which may have negatively impacted gamers’ experience with the system. In hindsight, having to use a controller was the least of gamers’ worries when it came to the Virtual Boy.
Much like the PowerGlove, the Virtual Boy was maligned upon launch and failed miserably. Criticisms of the console were its poor design, nauseating red monochromatic display, ineffective stereoscopic display, and price. Yet again, one of the top gaming companies on the planet failed to harness VR. If they couldn’t do it, who could?
As it turned out, nobody. Throughout the rest of the 90s and the 2000s, few
companies utilized VR in widespread commercial gaming, citing ineffective
technology and high costs. Those that did limited the experiences to arcade
cabinets or specialized centers, forcing gamers to leave their homes to enjoy
them.
It took until the 2010s before gaming developers revisited VR, due to the advent of more powerful cell phones and other personal devices like tablets that could easily slot into headsets and project VR games. Now, companies interested in VR didn’t have to develop all the technology required which lessened the burden on developers.
Among the many first-generation headsets include the Oculus Rift, the HTC Vive, and Sony’s first Playstation VR. Even Nintendo tried VR once more with the Nintendo Labo, a series of create-your-own VR equipment made using cardboard, but VR was missing one thing – a true AAA title.
Despite games like “Beat Saber,” “Superhot VR,” and a variety of simulator games, VR lacked a killer app. That all changed in 2020, when “Half-Life: Alyx” dropped in March of that year. While it wasn’t “Half Life 3,” it was the first “must-play” VR title that finally gave players a top-notch experience that was completely immersive but also negated some of the motion sickness concerns that plagued VR since the very beginning.
Half-Life: Alyx Gameplay Video 1
Since “Alyx,” VR technology and games have improved, to the point where even Facebook, now going by the name Meta, entered the fray. The company bought Oculus and launched the Meta Quest line of headsets. According to GDC’s 2023 State of the Game Industry Report, 39 percent of developers want to make games for the Meta Quest, the highest among any VR hardware.1
The Quest is followed by Sony’s Playstation VR 2, which has a wide variety of
killer exclusive apps like “Gran Turismo 7,” “Horizon: Call of the Mountain,”
and “Resident Evil Village VR.”
Another top company is getting into the VR mix – Apple. The aptly titled “Apple VR” headset is on the horizon and could change the game with its technology and service offerings. Reportedly, the Apple VR would use 8K displays that offer a higher resolution than any other VR headset on the market.
In order to maintain high performance levels, the unit will allegedly use
“foveated rendering” which would only render the assets the user is currently looking at in 8K, leaving the other objects rendered at a lower resolution.
While this technology hasn’t made it to retail VR headsets, we think that if
any company can make the technology work en masse, Apple would be the one.
It is clear VR isn’t going anywhere now that we have the technology to match — and game devs are certainly taking notice.
AR and Video Games
Augmented reality has had a similarly rocky journey towards complete gaming integration but these days, AR has found its foothold in the gaming space.
Prior to the advent of personal technology, AR gaming, like VR gaming was limited to specialized indoor events, trade shows, and niche functionality in traditional gaming systems. But in a move that should shock no one, nintendo was one of the only traditional companies to embrace AR with the 3DS.
Nintendo included AR cards with the 3DS that could be activated with the system’s camera. This included AR cards that displayed 3D models of Nintendo characters, as well as unlock games that could be played on the system. Gamers utilized the system’s front-and-back-facing cameras, its gyroscope controls, and 3D functionality to play games like archery, Face Raiders, AR Shot, Fishing, and more.
Before 2016, this was basically AR’s function in gaming – a cute, niche aside from actual gaming. Then, the summer of 2016 happened, and AR gaming changed forever.
During that magical summer of 2016, Pokémon Go was officially released and captivated not just the gaming world, but the entertainment world. From the most casual of gamers to the most devoted Pokémon masters, everyone seemed to be playing Pokémon Go, walking around parks, city streets, malls, and around town while staring at their phones, catching digital Pokémon. It generated headlines from non-gaming news outlets and had even the most casual of gamers playing for tons of hours. Even the introductory trailer is magical:
Discover Pokémon in the Real World with Pokémon GO!
The game also brought people together in a special way. I recall by the time I was living in Dublin, I asked one of my neighbors to let me in their backyard to catch a Charmander — and she let me in in exchange to some Spanish jamon!
Pokémon Go’s AR functionality was simple, but effective. It allowed gamers to see creatures they were used to only seeing on their Game Boys and DS systems in the real world alongside trees, statues, cars, and buildings around town. It led not just Pokemon Go’s developers, Niantic, to explore different avenues for AR gaming, it allowed other developers to utilize the power of mobile devices to create immersive AR experiences.
From Five Nights at Freddy’s AR: Special Delivery bringing the AR scares to the gamers without leaving their home, to Niantic’s Pikmin Bloom, NBA All-World, and upcoming Marvel World of Heroes giving other types of gamers the ability to enjoy immersive experiences, AR gaming has embraced mobile platforms and found its footing, but it feels like we’re just scratching the surface on utilizing this technology in video games.
With the latest announcement of Apple’s Vision Pro these two technologies seem to find more common ground than ever before and the beginning of a new era for virtual spaces. This shows that it certainly is a great time for game developers to delve deeper into the use of virtual spaces and explore new, immersive ways of storytelling.
At AgileThought we strive to be at the forefront of the technological revolution and are eager to accompany you on the journey that can take your players to new virtual and mixed reality games.
If you're looking to navigate this dynamic gaming landscape and unlock the full potential of your projects, AgileThought's team of gaming experts stands ready to assist. With tailored solutions, collaborative processes, and a commitment to driving improvements, we aim to help you thrive in the ever-evolving gaming industry. Together, let's embark on an exciting journey to create remarkable games that leave a lasting impact on players worldwide.
