VR gaming faces challenges, but developers and researchers are optimistic that VR is not dead yet.
Virtual reality (VR) has often been touted as the future of gaming. But while Steven Spielberg’s Ready Player One fantasizes about a world where people spend their days immersed in massive VR games, the reality in 2025 looks very different. VR is still a niche in the gaming space.
Sony recently had to admit this with its PlayStation VR 2. Sony lowered prices to get rid of unsold VR headsets, and many studios developing VR games had to lay off employees or even close their doors. Despite these problems, many developers, researchers, and gamers are convinced that VR is far from dead. At least in Australia “Down Under.”
For many gamers, like Australian content creator Anais “Naysy” Riley, VR offers unparalleled immersion. “In a VR game, you’re not just a character; you become that character. You can pick up a lightsaber and fight Darth Vader yourself,” Riley enthusiastically tells abc.net.au.
Virtual Reality Gaming: The Stabilized Niche and Its Problems
Nothing in 2025 is like it was in the “Ready Player One” movie. Not yet. Apple dared to launch the Vision Pro, a ridiculously expensive pair of AR diving goggles. It wasn’t a success. Production was discontinued. “VR is a stable niche,” states the Australian article. Researchers currently see the future of virtual reality in therapeutic applications rather than gaming. A major hurdle for VR: so-called “motion sickness.” Many gamers experience “discomfort” when playing with VR goggles. With newer technologies, this is no longer as pronounced.
Another factor: the most successful VR games are single-player titles. Beat Saber and Half Life: Alyx for Steam are milestones – no question, but they haven’t sparked a virtual reality trend in the gaming community. Major multiplayer titles that could have potentially sparked a trend have so far failed to materialize.
A glimmer of hope for VR in gaming
Justin McArdle, founder of FrameLabs, a software development studio based in Fremantle, Western Australia, is optimistic. “We’re at the beginning of a new wave. Over the next five years, VR will become increasingly mainstream,” he says.
Many VR studios are currently working on making VR games more accessible, especially for a younger audience. The focus will be on free multiplayer games. This idea isn’t new. Games like Minecraft and Fortnite, in particular, are often the entry point for younger audiences into video games.
The technology continues to evolve. VR isn’t dead yet, but it still maintains a “stable niche”—especially in gaming.
