Virtual Reality – Will it soon dominate the iGaming industry??
One of the main topics of discussion at this year’s E3, the world’s largest gaming convention, was the topic of virtual reality. It is now the new buzzword among gamers. E3 2017 had a variety of headsets and demo areas ready to show visitors the latest achievements in this segment.
What is boosting the push in this area so much?
The strong growth in this segment is being driven primarily by VR headsets, which are becoming increasingly affordable. Just a few years ago, many of these headsets that were sold were in the high-end range. However, a sea change took place here, as in 2016, many of the 6.3 million headsets sold worldwide consisted of Samsung’s cheaper equipment, according to VentureBeat. Of the Oculus Rift headsets, on the other hand, only around 200.000 sold.
The access to much cheaper headsets, let the demand for more VR content massively increase, even if these devices do not have the outstanding quality, which have, for example, those products of Oculus Rift. These low-end headsets are in high demand, as you get emerging technology for a relatively cheap price.
How VR is impacting the iGaming industry
Once people have experienced the virtual reality and have witnessed its excitement and thrill first hand, it often turns out to be difficult to return to the normal gaming mode. This is especially true in the iGaming industry, which has focused on the online space rather than physical casinos over the past decade. A similar shift is expected for online gambling operators, as VR technology will help put virtual casinos on par with real casinos in terms of experience.
Woman with VR headset | Photo: Pexels, pixabay.com, CC0 Creative Commons
Since the possibilities offered by VR seem almost endless, it is even possible to create a virtual space that recreates a casino through it. At the moment, online casinos are not yet equal to real casinos in terms of glamour and experience. That’s why the various providers in this segment are upgrading their portfolio with live dealer games. For example, online casinos like Betway Casino’s, which is backed by gaming provider Evolution, as well as those casino brands owned by Gaming Innovation Group, have focused on increased development of the live gaming experience. Without a doubt, introducing VR technology to the world of live casino games would make their portfolio quite a bit more attractive once again, when you think of all the live blackjack, roulette or baccarat options that are just available online.
VR Slots
The fastest and thus most common application of VR technology can be found in the world of online slot machines. There this technology is the easiest to use. Well-known companies like Microgaming have been making a big push in releasing VR slots this year.
Today’s slot machines are already very realistic in their experience and have an extremely high level of detail. Jurassic Park is a very popular online slot. It was the first of its kind to have parallax scrolling effects among many other technologies. Just as bingo is benefiting from new developments, so of course can slot machines. The natural path of development envisaged moving into other dimensions, as it already seemed that the world of online casinos was somehow stale and used up.