When it comes to virtual reality, there are quite a few different opinions out there. Some people feel it is amazing, whereas others don’t share that optimism. Nintendo executive Reggie Fils-Aime claims VR is not exciting enough”. Most of the experiences to date are rather limited in both appeal and quality. Opinions like these are seemingly becoming more prevalent among technology enthusiasts as of late.
Nintendo Feels VR isn’t Worth the Effort
Although one could argue VR is still in its infancy the market expectations have never been higher. With a mix of both cheap and high-end VR headsets on the market, it is now up to content creators to create appealing products. So far, that has not happened in any significant way just yet. Most VR experiences are brief, with games lasting 2 hours or less. Virtual reality apps don’t fare much better and there is a huge lack of productivity-related applications other than for artists.
Nintendo’s Fils-Aime certainly isn’t excited by virtual reality whatsoever. Nor does the company have any plans to develop VR content in the future. That latter part is no big surprise, as very few Nintendo titles lend themselves to a VR experience right now. After all, the company only recently invested in portable gaming consoles again. Their Nintendo Switch has been well-received, despite some initial issues and delays.
Keeping that in mind, there’s no reason for the company to invest in VR right now. Ever since their Virtual Boy, the company hasn’t shown any interest in this technology. Then again, it doesn’t appear there is much demand from the Nintendo faithful either in this regard. Very few players have expresses their desire for VR-capable content. Console games and VR enthusiasts are not necessarily the same market, although Sony is reaping the rewards from their VR venture these days.
Fils-Aime confirmed the company is an entertainment company rather than a gaming business. Mobile apps are of great interest to the technology giant right now. However, these apps do not require VR support whatsoever. One can argue the Switch has a bit of a content gap waiting to be filled. VR wouldn’t necessarily fill that gap in a good way, and might even have the adverse effect. It is evident the virtual reality market is going through a rough patch right now. Whether or not it will prevail, remains to be seen.
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