Way back in 1996, Jamiroquai sang a very catchy song about virtual reality (insanity). And now, many years later, virtual reality can be in your living room.
Although, when he said, ‘Forget your virtual reality’, he was dead wrong.
When virtual reality technology first came to the gamers in the form of the Oculus Rift, Vive and PlayStation VR, they were highly sought-after pieces of hardware.
In 2019 the significant growth could begin to be tracked. One of the issues with new technology is that sometimes the game development is slower than the console or tech.
So, while the one-time cost of the hardware can be pricey, the price of a few games can soar too.
And with the rise of virtual reality amongst the online gaming industry it was only a matter of time before the gambling industry also started to utilise the technology development. With the rise of online bingo and many now choosing to play at some of the top bingo sites available, this article will look into the use of VR for online bingo games and the impact this may have for players.
What is VR in gaming?
Virtual reality is where the player, or user, is immersed in an artificial 3D environment. The environment can usually be interacted with.
Virtual reality was initially explored through interactive devices, and you would use a mouse, keyboard or touchscreen (when the tech was available).
Over time VR moved to wrap-around display screens and VR headsets like oculus quest 1 & rift s prescription lenses that makes everything look sharper and more precise than when used without them. We now have augmented reality rooms, other sensory components, and wearable computers.
Brand are increasing the tactile feedback and the sensations that the user can experience.
Historically, people who played VR games had suffered from motion sickness or experience lag, which took them out of the immersive experience.
How does VR work on the senses?
If you had said many years ago that we would move to space where people would believe and feel like they are in a game, many people would’ve shrugged it off.
Even though movies where the main characters were inside the games were very popular. It still seems like something that would never happen.
VR, most of the time, is designed to be as real as possible. The grass, the sky, and the giant dinosaurs.
Sensations like sight, hearing and feel are what give us our sense of perception. And perception is how we make sense of the world.
We typically rely on our sense of sight to make sense of most things. Once we see something, brains try to make sense of it with what we already know.
The world around us will also be built so that no matter where you look, the game will be there. Much like taking in a view in the real-world.
The slight downfall is that our brain and body have a slight disconnect. Your body stays still, and your mind, eyes and imagination might be flying.
This is where motion sickness or confusion can happen.
Types of games you can play on VR
There are now virtual reality games that cover a vast range of genres.
Once you move beyond the possibility of a little bit of disorientation and motion sickness, VR can be an incredible gaming experience.
Here are some of the most popular VR games and some of the hardware you can play them on.
- Iron Man: VR is available on PSVR and lets you feel like you are the man himself. With a story experience, you get to feel like you are flying and fighting, just like in the movies.
- The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR is available on Oculus Rift, PSVR, and HTC Vive. Fully tracked motion makes it exciting, and you can use your real-world space to use a feature called room-scale setup.
- Batman: Arkham VR on PSVR, HTC Vive and Oculus Rift. Just like the regular console-based game, you are the frim-fighting vigilante.
DinoTrek VR is a different style, where you put your mobile phone into a headset with a mobile phone holder. You’ll be walking around with the dinosaurs.
We also see a rise in immersive casino experiences, which will likely include bingo.
Mobile gaming technology and VR
We have seen artificial intelligence for quite some years. We were using our mobile camera and AR to place animals around the room and taking photos.
Pokemon mobile gaming app changed it up a little. People used the game to walk around and the AR option to catch a Pikachu on the grass outside. A lot of fun and played by millions.
Mobile gaming has been heavily reliant on access home wifi to enable quick download and play speed.
The technological advancement of 5G has changed the game when it comes to playing mobile VR smoothly.
Virtual reality, by default, is significant and takes up a lot of space and needs high download speeds. Being able to have updated content immediately just makes gameplay better.
Dragalia Lost is an example of those download needs. You need to download the game, then download more content and each new level that the player reaches.
We are also seeing a breakthrough of bingo games being available to play on VR, which makes sense because real-world bingo is about the atmosphere and social experience.
Could we see a rise in bingo VR?
We are moving into a technological space that can improve the gameplay experience on a regular mobile phone or a PC or console. It isn’t farfetched to say that VR could vastly improve home-based bingo.
Once you have the headset on, you could be in the middle of a busy and buzzing bingo hall or the middle of the jungle.
There is the potential that in the next few years, we will see VR for bingo that feels like you are sitting at a table in a bingo hall surrounded by people.
The potential to have these games linked into your online bingo account could mean that when you win in the VR world, you win in real life too.
Another huge bonus of VR bingo is the ability to have a more realistic live-caller than those we find on online bingo websites.
VR casinos are already on the rise; in the next few years, we are likely to see an explosion of possibilities. Bingo VR could give the perfect balance between online bingo and the real-world experience.
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