I used to love virtual reality. Back in 2015, the hype train for VR was tearing down the tracks, full steam ahead, and I had a first-class seat. Buckling on a bulky, janky developer headset, I was giggling like a schoolgirl. I'd seen the demo videos, and I was stoked to step into the virtual realms like a cyberpunk superheroine.
I screamed when that VR whale soared by in a demo for the first HTC Vive headset. I reached out to touch it, and my stomach churned as I stared down into the murky depths of the ocean below. I threw up. It was awesome.
Back then, we hoped everything could be improved with VR: gaming, medicine, art, design, motion sickness, all of it. Once the Oculus Rift hit store shelves, the hype train started to slow down. It had a lack of games and practical uses, was prohibitively expensive, and required a very powerful computer to operate. VR launched to a niche audience—out of reach for all but the most devout evangelists.
So where are we in 2020? Is Oculus' latest headset worth considering, or has VR passed its prime? The answer is tricky, and the Oculus Rift S is at the heart of it.
Crisp and ClearOculus has made some strides since 2018, with the phone-friendly Oculus Go and the stand-alone Oculus Quest headset—but neither of them require a PC to use. High-end, PC-based VR was being replaced. At least, that's what I thought. I was mistaken.
Photograph: Facebook
