Until recently, virtual reality was the stuff of fiction for both storytellers and technologists. Way back in 1935, American sci-fi writer Stanley G Weinbaum envisioned a concept akin to VR in his story Pygmalion’s Spectacles.
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"Imagine a movie providing sight and sound, and now envision it also offering taste, smell, and touch, immersing you completely in the story. You interact with it, and it responds. Wouldn’t that be a dream come true?"
While technology hasn't yet mastered smell and taste, devices like Albert Ludwig's "magic spectacles" eerily predicted modern VR headsets and 360-degree experiences.
From the late '60s initial head-mounted VR systems to commercial products in the '80s and Hollywood's 1992 film The Lawnmower Man, VR has seen decades of experimentation.
The current VR age began in 2010 when Palmer Luckey, an American teenager, created the Oculus Rift's prototype. Two years and a successful $2.4 million Kickstarter campaign later, the tech industry's interest in VR reignited. In 2014, Mark Zuckerberg's Facebook acquired Oculus for $2 billion.
Palmer Luckey of Oculus VR was pivotal in the modern VR renaissance.
Since then, competitors like HTC Vive and Sony's PlayStation VR emerged, alongside smartphone-based headsets like Samsung’s Gear VR and Google Cardboard. Developers are creating VR games and apps, while filmmakers and platforms like Facebook and YouTube adopt 360-degree videos.
Curious about VR but not sure where to start? Here’s everything you need about hardware, apps, and games.
Understanding the Basics of VR
The essential component of VR gear is the headset, similar to bulky goggles covering your eyes. High-end headsets usually need a computer, while cheaper variants use a smartphone.
All headsets require quality headphones, and optional accessories like hand controllers or treadmills enhance your immersive experience. Hand controllers map your physical movements to the virtual environment, though regular gaming joypads are also viable.
VR devices have dedicated app stores akin to smartphone app stores, providing a platform for downloading games and apps. Some app stores are accessible directly through the device, while others, like Steam, can be browsed on your computer.
Top-Tier VR Headsets
The Oculus Rift is available globally.
Oculus Rift
Four years post its initial crowdfunding campaign, the Oculus Rift launched commercially in early 2016, first on the Oculus VR site, then globally via retailers.
Initially, a powerful PC was necessary for the Oculus Rift. The minimum specs for an Oculus Ready PC are listed on their official website, with brands like Dell, HP, Alienware, and Asus offering VR-ready computers. Oculus bundles, like the $2,050 Alienware combo, are also available.
Oculus announced a technology called "asynchronous spacewarp," making Rift compatible with PCs as low as $500.
Oculus is broadening its hardware with the impending launch of Oculus Touch controllers translating hand gestures into virtual actions, priced at $199.
Price: $599 (£549) for the headset, sensor, remote, Xbox One controller, and in-built headphones and mic.
Requirements: A strong PC meeting recommended specs.
Best for: Early adopters keen on experiencing Facebook’s vision for social VR.
Verdict: The Oculus Rift spearheaded contemporary VR, with a creative developer community dedicated to its ecosystem. Despite a few controversies, Facebook's financing assures Rift's longevity.
10 Oculus Rift apps and games to try
HTC Vive
The HTC Vive, a collaboration between HTC and gaming company Valve, offers a standalone VR category via Steam and a dedicated Viveport site for non-gaming applications.
HTC’s Vive directly competes with the Oculus Rift.
Like the Rift, the Vive requires a PC to run its software. HTC lists Vive-Ready computers from partners like Alienware, HP, and MSI.
Distinctive features include a front-facing camera integrating real-world visuals into VR, and bundled hand-held gestural controllers, unlike Rift.
Tracking your movements, the Vive utilizes a base station, enabling limited VR space navigation. It takes longer to set up, akin to high-end audio systems, but its room-scale VR capacity could be a game-changer.
Price: $799 (£759) for the headset, two hand controllers, two base stations, and a link box.
Requirements: A high-performance PC as per recommended specs.
Best for: Those wanting the highest-spec home VR system, covering both gaming and non-gaming.
Verdict: The HTC Vive is pricier and requires a more complex setup but allows for spatial movement in VR. Valve’s involvement ensures a flourishing developer community.
10 HTC Vive apps and games to try
- Job Simulator: Popular for its creative depiction of jobs in a robot-dominated future
- Elite: Dangerous: Epic space game that becomes more immersive with VR
- Cosmic Trip: Engaging first-person real-time strategy game set on alien planets
- The Brookhaven Experiment: Survival horror game packed with monsters and scares
- Fantastic Contraption: A 2D puzzle turned into an impressive 3D VR game
- Tilt Brush: Google’s 3D painting app that lets you paint in VR
- Jaunt VR: Diverse range of VR-specific videos, from docs to music
- Apollo 11 VR: Historical app letting you experience the moon landing
- theBlu: A must-see for lovers of BBC’s Blue Planet
- AltspaceVR: A social VR platform inspired by Second Life
Sony’s PlayStation VR will soon be on sale.
Sony PlayStation VR
Sony's PlayStation VR, launching in October 2016, supports both the PlayStation 4 and the upgraded PlayStation 4 Pro, offering enhanced VR performance.
PlayStation VR needs the DualShock 4 controller but also requires the $60 PlayStation Camera accessory.
Sony aims for an inclusive experience with features like VR Social Screen, sharing your headset view on a TV for friends to partake.
Given its PlayStation ecosystem, PlayStation VR heavily focuses on gaming. Sony plans over 100 VR games, with 50 released by the end of 2016.
Price: $399 (£350) for the headset, processor unit, earphones, and cables.
Requirements: PlayStation Camera at $45 (£39). While standard PS4 joypads work, some games support PlayStation Move controllers, costing $99 (£70) for a set.
Best for: PlayStation gamers, as there's no cross-console functionality.
Verdict: As the pioneering console-connected VR headset, it is the most affordable high-end model, especially if you already own a PS4. Boasting impressive launch titles, Sony’s influence promises a robust lineup, though non-gaming apps may be fewer.
10 PlayStation VR apps and games to try
For an in-depth look, check out the Guardian's VR apps roundup.
Affordable VR Headsets
Samsung Gear VR
Gear VR enters the smartphone-dependent headset market, utilizing your phone for both display and processing. It only supports Samsung's S6, S7, and Galaxy Note7 smartphones.
Some retailers bundle Gear VR with new Samsung smartphones, so look for deals.
Apps and games are available via Samsung's Oculus Home, an evolving collection. Gear VR offers an affordable peek into VR, though its graphics and processing are inferior to pricier headsets.
Price: $100 (£100) for the headset.
Requirements: A recent Samsung smartphone or phablet.
Best for: Budget-conscious entrants preferring standalone devices.
Verdict: Gear VR aims to mainstream VR with growing app and game lists. Its key limit is Samsung exclusivity, leaving iPhone and other Android users out.
10 Gear VR apps and games to try
Google Cardboard and Daydream
Google began its VR journey with the literal Cardboard headsets.
Find out more at vr race simulator.
Google’s Cardboard spec, open to others, led to varied models from $15 to Speck's $70 Pocket-VR with CandyShell Grip.
Google's fabric Daydream View headset.
There are numerous apps on Android and iOS stores, spanning 360 photography to documentaries. Despite being less powerful, these headsets host exciting innovations.
Google's next-gen VR, Daydream, embeds its software into new Android phones and pairs it with a fabric Daydream View headset and motion controller.
Services like YouTube and partners like Netflix will support Daydream, alongside apps from The Guardian and more.
Price: Cardboard headsets are $15-$25 (£15-£25). Daydream View is $79 (£69), including a controller.
Requirements: A smartphone. Cardboard supports various Android and iOS devices, Daydream View initially supports Google’s Pixel but will expand to more Android phones.
Best for: Entering VR affordably, especially for non-Samsung users.
Verdict: Daydream View rivals Gear VR, while Cardboard is perfect for casual users. Some apps might feel limited, but others are exceptionally engaging.
10 Google Cardboard apps and games to try
- Cardboard: Google’s own VR demos
- Bohemian Rhapsody Experience: Fun VR music video with Queen
- NYT VR: The New York Times VR video journalism
- Star Wars: Jakku Spy adventure
- Sisters: Intense VR horror
- Inside Abbey Road: Virtual tour of London’s Abbey Road Studios
- Cardboard Camera: Take 360 photos with sound
- YouTube: View 360 and VR videos
- InMind VR: Travel inside a brain
- 6x9: The Guardian’s VR solitary confinement experience
Microsoft's Upcoming VR Innovations
Alongside its AR HoloLens, Microsoft partners are developing VR headsets for Windows PCs, starting at $299, launching spring 2017.
Microsoft aims to make VR accessible, treating headsets like external monitors conceptually, according to Terry Myerson.
VR Accessories
Beyond major headsets, numerous VR products are emerging. Crowdfunding sites have become hotspots for innovative VR hardware projects.
From headsets to controllers, various projects abound. However, mainstream devices by Oculus, HTC, Sony, and Samsung dominate, so research developer support before committing.
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