In recent years, Virtual Reality (VR) has been all the buzz, which sprung up many VR game rooms across the world. However, VR technology still has a lot to improve especially for the average consumer use. So in the meantime, how do you enjoy VR and still stay hip with the trends?
You can anticipate to pay around $40-$60 for an hour of session depending on where you live. A booking usually entails booking a station, which two or more people can share the VR experience one at a time. To get a VR system of your own could range from $200-$900 just for the headset, with controllers and a proper gaming PC could easily surpass $1,000 in cost.
Can I VR with $20?
For anyone out there that really want to try VR, but don’t want to pay a premium, it is 100% possible to experience VR.
Like I’ve said before, it cost around $40 per hour for one session, however from what I know, most VR charges by half an hour.
So, you can most certainly enjoy high-end VR experience for $20, which gets you 30 minutes worth of fun.
If you don’t need all the bells and whistle that comes with VR, you can purchase a Google Cardboard VR for about $5. Like the name implies, it is made of cardboard with 2 biconvex lens and a few pieces of velcro. Simply load a VR video from Youtube from your smartphone and pop it in. Although, the quality of the VR experience is not the best, but it still can intrigue kids.
Now if you have kids or just want something that won’t break in 5 minutes of handling. You can consider getting a plastic VR headset for $10-$20, like this one sold from Walmart. Still the same concept as before, but you get a sturdier headset that’s not dirt cheap looking. While this may not enhance the VR experience, having a plastic headset with foam is more comfortable than having cardboard strapped to your face.
Level Up Your VR Experience
If a simple smartphone VR experience is not what you’re looking for, you are going to have raise your budget.
One of the most immersive VR experience you can get with $200 is the Oculus Go, the all-in-one portable VR headset that does not require a smartphone as your display. You can learn more about the Oculus Go by visiting Oculus.com.
Another product by Oculus that you can get is the Oculus Rift DK2 (Development Kit 2). Sorry, but you’re not going to find one new for $200, but if you are willing to settle for a used one, you can still get the VR experience you want. Keep in mind the the Oculus Rift DK2 was release in 2014, so it’s about 6 years old at the time of me writing.
Does that mean it’s terrible? No, but it does mean that it is still a step down from the high-end VR offered today.
Show Me the Good Stuff
If money is not an issue, you can try the Oculus Rift S, which will run you about $400-$650. This kit comes with the VR headset and two robust controllers to take your VR experience to the next level.
Keep in mind that the Oculus Rift S is PC powered so that means you’ll need a computer that can run VR. Luckily, I found this very useful post written by TechGuided that you can read up on, he goes into great length into a VR ready PC in every tier.
If Oculus is not the brand of choice, try the HTC Vive Cosmos Elite, HTC’s newest VR line up. It might hurt your wallet a bit for it is selling for $900 on their site.
Another thing to taking into consideration is having a high-end VR PC to go with your top tier VR headset. A high-end VR ready PC can run you $1,000 easy, that means a combined $2,000 investment on your part. So before you buy make sure you really enjoy VR and it won’t make you dizzy after a couple of hours of use because it wouldn’t be worth your money then.
Enjoy VR and Make Money
With maybe about $1,500 or less, you can get a mid-tier VR system that you can enjoy at home. If you have nice open basement, why not try to rent out that space for VR.
First of all, you won’t have to worry about people living in your basement, they’ll only be there for a few hours and you can make a few hundred dollars per night.
After a few nights, the system essentially pays for itself and then you can get another system and divide up the space. You can then run two VR setup at the same time and double your earnings.
There are a few caveats to this:
First of all, make sure it complies with your local and state regulation / rules of running this kind of business.
Secondly, you’ll need to keep the place nice, cool, and clean, because VR is quite the workout and you don’t want people sweating or trashing up your basement.
Thirdly, you’ll need to keep people comfortable while they wait for their turn, so you’ll need some comfy furniture, refreshments, and maybe even some board games to keep themselves busy while they wait.
Lastly, it is critical that you keep your players safe and comfy, this could mean that you’ll have to purchase some foam tiled floor in case they fall. To keep up with sanitation, you’ll need to get some wipes to clean off the controllers and the headset after every use.
Okay, it’s time to talk about games!
Must have VR Games
If you’ve play with VR for a while you’ll know that there are a few staple games that is essential in every VR session. Here are some of the games that you’ll definitely want in your library:
SuperHot – ($25 on Steam)
An action-based shooter VR game that has a unique approach to the common gameplay. Time only moves when you move, so the enemies in the game will only move if you move. If you stop moving, time freezes. It is a highly addictive title that will keep you immersed for hours.
Mirror’s Edge / Mirror’s Edge Catalyst ($20 on Steam / $10 on EA Origin)
A fast-paced parkour game that will make you pee yourself, even playing it on PC without VR was scary, because the depth in the game is so real, that every time you leap from one building to another you’ll feel the height of the drop. Unfortunately, this game isn’t officially VR supported in full which means you’ll have to rely on the community for mods, but if you dig deep enough you might find something and the payout is worth the work.
Beat Saber ($30 on Steam)
We can’t be talking about VR without talking about the game that has taken the VR community by storm. I’m of course talking about Beat Saber, essentially Guitar Hero, but with light sabers! Get the same amount of exercise as a Wii Fit while jamming to your favorite song and training to be the next Jedi at the same time.
Boneworks ($30 on Steam)
I have to say when it comes down to VR, there hasn’t been a game that has redefined the meaning the “R” in VR except Boneworks. This adventure based game is built on realistic physics engine and I mean the physics are REAL. Check out this video posted by Node below:
Half-Life: Alyx ($60 on Steam)
Valve left the Half-Life fans hanging for over a decade since the release of Half-Life 2, but now they’ve released the next Half-Life title and the best part is that it’s on VR. Continue your Half-Life adventure with Half-Life: Alyx; as of right now it is the #1 VR game on Steam.
VR: The Future Reality
As VR technology continues to grow, it will open up more doors for new applications that’s not gaming related, but for now you should just enjoy the games.
If you’ve never experience VR, it is an experience unlike no other, it will redefine how you see this world, what is real and what isn’t.
It’s never too late to get in the game, so all there is to say is:
“Player One, Are You Ready?!”