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[Eddie-Griffin]

Whether they are releasing their headset for the first time, or releasing/shipping globally for the first time, there are around 22 VR headsets with more likely to come since it's still the beginning of the year, that will/have launched in 2023. It's a huge year for VR.

Now of course, having so much VR is nice and all, but with so much competition these companies will have to differentiate themselves to get consumers onboard.

Of the current crop of announced/leaked VR headsets, or rumored/expected VR headsets, which do you see being that VR device who managed to break away from the others and appeal to consumers in 2023? When all the smoke and frontloaded hype is over, who is going to be standing there leading the way at the end of the year? Is it going to be a big brand? A mid-sized up and comer or indie? A crowndfunded venture? A dark horse no one saw coming?

Here are the headsets where we actually do know what they look like coming out sometime this year(or already out/shipping), the others have not been revealed, yet, but will be added when they are. Shown headsets In order of the poll options,

PSVR2

NXTWear V

Pico 4

Pancake1

Snow Kylin

YVR2

E4

XR Elite

VR One

R-1

Bigscreen Beyond

Shiftall MeganeX

Crystal and Portal

AjnaXR

Xtal 3

Mova

Lots of choices, and more to come.

 

[Crayon]

Pretty tough to pick one. VR is in a way that all 3 of the top ones are dark horses in a way. If psvr2 can double sales of the first one, that's big. Apple might sell a ton of their headset or may "make vr cool" or both, and quest 3 is hard to predict if it's going to match or exceed the success of quest 2.

Exciting market segment to watch!

 

[64bitmodels]

apple. they see the logo on it, it sells 150 million.

hopefully Samsung comes up with an android answer so that Android doesnt get left behind in this whole VR push

 

[lestar]

there're two companies that could bring VR to the masses, Apple and Nintendo

 

[BennyBlanco]

Quest 3 is my guess but I wouldn’t bet against Apple either.

 

[CS Lurker]

Considering the rumors, Apple is firstly coming with a high price headset, so I don't think it will be that relevant in market share (it will when they release a more accessible HMD).

So I pick Quest 3.

 

[James Sawyer Ford]

None of the above?

I think PSVR2 will be the best out of the gate and perhaps for the entire year, especially since Quest 3 is getting a price hike so it should cost similarly to PSVR2

VR will be a slow steady grind. Unless Apple blows everyone away with a VR system like they did for the original iPhone....I don't think it'll do well at all initially. Far too high of a price for far too little utility

 

[Gobjuduck]

None, vr is far away from being great.

GaF will vote PSVR2, but you knew that.

 

[Eddie-Griffin]

there're two companies that could bring VR to the masses, Apple and Nintendo

Nintendo tried already tho.

 

[CrustyBritches]

I doubt any headset will have Quest 2 level of success. Quest 3 will probably be the most popular.

 

[Eddie-Griffin]

I doubt any headset will have Quest 2 level of success. Quest 3 will probably be the most popular.

If there is a differening experience that creates new novelty for general consumers to come back.

Maybe motion controls will work again for the Apple Headset. Or maybe TCLs dev tools will increase the bar for game quality.

Who knows what Samsung is ding, maybe a combo standalone/PhoneVR hybrid.

 

[CrustyBritches]

If there is a differening experience that creates new novelty for general consumers to come back.

Maybe motion controls will work again for the Apple Headset. Or maybe TCLs dev tools will increase the bar for game quality.

Who knows what Samsung is ding, maybe a combo standalone/PhoneVR hybrid.

Quest 3 is rumored to have a killer AR and color passthrough setup: 2 x b&w cameras, 2 x color cameras, and a depth sensor. That will be their big feature.

 

[CLW]

 

[Justin9mm]

A high-end headset with high-end VR experiences needs high-end hardware. A standalone product will not give you that at a competitive price as we really need more investment into AAA games. If you want a competitively priced consumer product, the headset needs to be paired with accessible high-end hardware. PSVR2 is the best frontrunner for that. A high-end PC is out of reach for a lot of consumers but there a lot of consumers that already own a PS5. You need a high-end product that is easily accessible to propel and grow VR. Sony will eventually drop the price of the PSVR2, couple that with a library of good AA-AAA games and it will make a huge positive impact to the VR market.

 

[Sakura]

I'd say the Quest 3, but it is hard to say without knowing what Apple actually plans to do.

 

[Robb]

I don’t think any of them will.

 

[Eddie-Griffin]

Quest 3 is rumored to have a killer AR and color passthrough setup: 2 x b&w cameras, 2 x color cameras, and a depth sensor. That will be their big feature.

Quite a few headsets will push color passthrough, the question will be what the quality will be.

 

[Ellery]

Panasonic should've chosen a different name. Not good for flying over it.

 

[Danjin44]

None......

 

[CobraAB]

apple. they see the logo on it, it sells 150 million.

hopefully Samsung comes up with an android answer so that Android doesnt get left behind in this whole VR push

Not at the “rumored” price.

 

[CobraAB]

I think the Apple headset will be the best at AR capability. AR is what they have kind of hyped up. VR? They have been pretty mum on that. Sine the tech just ain’t there for dedicated AR yet in the form factor that is sought after, they probably decided to do a mixed reality headset.

 

[CobraAB]

But Quest 3, at least initially, may do best out of the gate. Quest Pro seems pretty meh for the price. The Vive XR Elite looks nice but the AR capability is pretty meh, as is the Quest Pro at least at the moment. Software seems to be a issue regarding AR this another reason why Apple may excel here.

 

[Goalus]

there're two companies that could bring VR to the masses, Apple and Nintendo

There is one company that has brought VR to the masses, Facebook/Meta.

 

[nemiroff]

None, or Quest.

 

[TonyK]

One will sell more than the others, obviously, but none of them will make VR mainstream. Not yet. Maybe never, as it's exhausting and isolating for regular people.

 

[CobraAB]

Sony PSVR2 is very good but of ourse strictly tied to the PS5 which is a obvious limiting factor One would think.

Be freaking awesome if it had PC compatibility but sadly no and seems extremely unlikely.

 

[SmokedMeat]

Apple if the price is right. Otherwise Quest 3 is by far the most well known and accessible.

Their Quest is the only VR I personally know of that’s sold to Nongaming friends.

 

[64bitmodels]

Not at the “rumored” price.

Considering the rumors, Apple is firstly coming with a high price headset, so I don't think it will be that relevant in market share (it will when they release a more accessible HMD).

So I pick Quest 3.

high prices didnt stop the iphone from dominating in sales, i doubt it will stop this from being the leading VR headset. im willing to bet it will outsell quest 2 lifetime units in 2 months

 

[Eddie-Griffin]

I forgot to add Lenovos headset which is supposed to come out this year as well.

What a crowded year for VR, and despite that I think we'll be lucky if 7 of these make it past Dec 31st into 2024.

 

[Eddie-Griffin]

oops forgot about Sharp, added.

 

[Leonidas]

PSVR2, if it gets official PC support...

 

[ReBurn]

high prices didnt stop the iphone from dominating in sales, i doubt it will stop this from being the leading VR headset. im willing to bet it will outsell quest 2 lifetime units in 2 months

Smartphones are capable multi-purpose computing devices that you can carry around in your pocket. VR headsets are bulky single purpose decides you strap to your face that generally prevent you from moving outside a small, pre-defined area or they stop working so you don't kill yourself by walking into walls, etc. It's not exactly a straight comparison.

 

[poppabk]

high prices didnt stop the iphone from dominating in sales, i doubt it will stop this from being the leading VR headset. im willing to bet it will outsell quest 2 lifetime units in 2 months

10 million units a month at $3000 a pop?

 

[FunkMiller]

The one that bothers to have new, full length games on it.

 

[ManaByte]

Which Eddie-Griffen VR thread being posted today do you think will breakout with GAFFERS?​

 

[RafterXL]

high prices didnt stop the iphone from dominating in sales, i doubt it will stop this from being the leading VR headset. im willing to bet it will outsell quest 2 lifetime units in 2 months

You're comparing a device that everyone has to own vs a niche device that no one needs. The high price will absolutely kill sales, just look at what the $100 price hike did to Quest 2 sales.

The real answer is none of them. The Quest 2 sold well because it was dirt cheap, as soon as they raised the price even a bit the sales plummeted. VR isn't gaining traction at higher price points and it won't with any of these new devices. No one *needs* them and until people have a reason to not live without one they will stay fringe devices.

 

[Eddie-Griffin]

10 million units a month at $3000 a pop?

9 million, but no one is going to be able to pull that off unless they have more than one killer app and they show something that has such novelty people will salivate to go after it.

While there is much excitement (maybe too much) for Apple in VR (and they still haven't shown it yet) even with that they aren't going to sell ~18 million in only two months.

 

[64bitmodels]

i'm not even rooting for apple here but the simple reality is that everything they make sells. Androids have more functionality than iphone and get features years earlier yet it doesnt stop iphone from trouncing them all in sales. they effectively managed to strongarm the headphone jack out of the smartphone by not including it in their latest phones. they copied spotify and ended up making the 2nd most popular music streaming service. they made a fucking watch with half the capability of a smartphone and it sold units. THEY ARE THE RICHEST COMPANY IN THE WORLD. who am i not to believe that people will line up to try a new VR headset as well?

maybe not in other countries, but in the US it will definitely sell. apple fans have dangerous amounts of disposable income and they'll spend it on a niche VR headset too if it means they can support the big fruit

 

[Eddie-Griffin]

i'm not even rooting for apple here but the simple reality is that everything they make sells. Androids have more functionality than iphone and get features years earlier yet it doesnt stop iphone from trouncing them all in sales. they effectively managed to strongarm the headphone jack out of the smartphone by not including it in their latest phones. they copied spotify and ended up making the 2nd most popular music streaming service. they made a fucking watch with half the capability of a smartphone and it sold units. THEY ARE THE RICHEST COMPANY IN THE WORLD. who am i not to believe that people will line up to try a new VR headset as well?

maybe not in other countries, but in the US it will definitely sell. apple fans have dangerous amounts of disposable income and they'll spend it on a niche VR headset too if it means they can support the big fruit

To be fair there were smart watches before Apple, that did decently well, although I'm surprised that Apple got so many people to buy it. Sure, it's been in decline since 2021 overall and it seems that the watches (even the competing brands) are not really as sought out anymore. but Apple announced a userbase of 100 million watches in 2021 as well.

100 million smart watches is no joke.

 

[64bitmodels]

To be fair there were smart watches before Apple, that did decently well, although I'm surprised that Apple got so many people to buy it.

it's their advertising, their brand image and their reputation. this is what helps them sell even terrible products like the Iphone 7. They brand themselves as the luxury computer brand and suckers who need to be seen with the best and most expensive gear naturally buy in. sure, there's merits such as their ecosystem but it's ultimately because people want to look rich. nothing richer than having a fucking VR headset
this will only be proven more as their VR headset comes out and stomps the competition in sales.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

Who knew there were even this many VR sets. All you hear about are Quest and PSVR and whatever Apple rumours you see.

Whether you love Eddie's VR threads or not, got to give him credit.

I bet almost all the VR posts he does are new knowledge for you.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

Bigscreen Beyond and Shiftall making big strides in form factor.

 

[Eddie-Griffin]

Bigscreen Beyond and Shiftall making big strides in form factor.

And Xtal 3 seems to be going in the complete opposite direction lol. Like a giant brick so it can make you fall over.

 

[Fatal Chuck Yeager]

Does anyone know what happened to most of these VR's? Where they canned? The companies pulled out? Do any of them have any release dates?

 

[amigastar]

Hey there,
I'm planning to buy a VR headset soon. I've decided to buy the Meta Quest 2.
Is it good for 350 bucks or are there other headsets on the market which are better for the asking price?
I'm gonna play exclusively on PC games like DCS World, MS Flight sim and Racing sims and HL Alyx maybe
Can someone help me out here since I'm a noob when it comes to VR?

 

[Buggy Loop]

Hey there,
I'm planning to buy a VR headset soon. I've decided to buy the Meta Quest 2.
Is it good for 350 bucks or are there other headsets on the market which are better for the asking price?
I'm gonna play exclusively on PC games like DCS World, MS Flight sim and Racing sims and HL Alyx maybe
Can someone help me out here since I'm a noob when it comes to VR?

I wouldn't buy a fresnel lens headset in 2023. Easy $200 adder for pancake lenses, way better resolution, passthrough, ringless controllers and better virtual desktop/PCVR streaming for the Quest 3.

 

[Three]

Hey there,
I'm planning to buy a VR headset soon. I've decided to buy the Meta Quest 2.
Is it good for 350 bucks or are there other headsets on the market which are better for the asking price?
I'm gonna play exclusively on PC games like DCS World, MS Flight sim and Racing sims and HL Alyx maybe
Can someone help me out here since I'm a noob when it comes to VR?

It's a good choice for the price but honestly if you're going to play exclusively on PC I would wait for Valve to announce their possible new headset to see the price.

 

[Danjin44]

From my perspective its too fucking expensive and most importantly still doesn't have type of games I enjoy, for me it just waste of money.

 

[Guerilla Munch]

Apple seems to be taking the right approach. They have designed a headset that is a full generation beyond the rest of the competition, and the $3500 price is irrelevant because their enthusiast early adopters will ensure it is perpetually sold out.

Aiming for productivity and media consumption is a smart move, because VR gaming isn't moving the dial. I have half a dozen headsets at this point and the only games that keep me coming back are Beatsaber and Thumper, and those are gen 1 games.

Apple seems to be marketing their headset as a laptop replacement, and in that case it could reach beyond just the enthusiast crowd. People in the market for a $2000+ MacBook Pro could be persuaded to shell out a bit more money for the Vision. Meta really dropped the ball (as usual) making the Quest 3 such a marginal upgrade over the Q2. Good luck to everyone else once Apple enters the fray.

I think Nintendo is the only gaming company that could create a full library of must-play VR games, but we're probably 10-20 years away from the tech being cheap/small/ubiquitous enough for them to bother.

 

[poppabk]

Apple seems to be taking the right approach. They have designed a headset that is a full generation beyond the rest of the competition, and the $3500 price is irrelevant because their enthusiast early adopters will ensure it is perpetually sold out.

Aiming for productivity and media consumption is a smart move, because VR gaming isn't moving the dial. I have half a dozen headsets at this point and the only games that keep me coming back are Beatsaber and Thumper, and those are gen 1 games.

Apple seems to be marketing their headset as a laptop replacement, and in that case it could reach beyond just the enthusiast crowd. People in the market for a $2000+ MacBook Pro could be persuaded to shell out a bit more money for the Vision. Meta really dropped the ball (as usual) making the Quest 3 such a marginal upgrade over the Q2. Good luck to everyone else once Apple enters the fray.

I think Nintendo is the only gaming company that could create a full library of must-play VR games, but we're probably 10-20 years away from the tech being cheap/small/ubiquitous enough for them to bother.

Eddie is that you?
Meta made the wrong move? How many $3500 headsets do you think Meta would sell?