The 20,000 Foot View: VR’s renaissance has an edge on other technologies: romance. Experiences in virtual reality are being evangelised less as entertainment than as a new era of humanity, giving users previously inconceivable levels of exploration in a safe and inconsequential environment. However, this celebratory narrative deserves some context: 2015 saw the entire global VR market generate            million, far removed from Facebook’s            billion acquisition of Oculus VR in 2014. Although tech hype cycles are nothing new, with investment and development still so heavily skewed towards the hardware and limited on the content side, there are several flaws in VR’s route to market, not least an overestimation of consumer readiness.

Key Findings:

• VR Investment            heavily skewed to hardware, with            invested in devices compared to            in VR content
• Investment that            spent on content is spread            several industries including gaming, sports,            and even space exploration
• VR tech            are pushing products to market            content is ready
• Presently, the            audience prevents heavy investment in            VR content  
• High price            and user issues, such as            room space requirements, will hinder            adoption
• The rise            adblocking and experiential marketing is            VR towards becoming an advertising            before it has had a            to mature

Companies Mentioned:            AltspaceVR, Amazon, Apple, Baobab Studios, Facebook, Felix & Paul Studios, Google, HTC, Jaunt, Lucid Sight, Next VR, Nokia, Oculus, Ogilvy and Mather, RELOAD STUDIOS, Samsung, Sony, Space VR, Take-Two Interactive, Valve, The Virtual Reality Company, Visionary VR, Walt Disney, Wevr, Within