Team Talk: Is it time to jump into virtual reality?

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With grand promises of “affordable VR” as far back as the 80s (40 years ago, let’s not forget), virtual reality has always felt like a great idea which hasn’t ever reached its potential.

Now the latest wave of technology from Oculus, HTC and even PlayStation is reaching its newest iteration, and we’re starting to see that affordability dream become more of a reality.

The latest new release is the Oculus Quest 2, which brings the portability of its predecessor at a more affordable price - £300 in the UK - meaning for some gamers it might open up the platform for the first time.

So, is it finally time to take the plunge into VR? Share your thoughts in the comments.

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by James Michael Parry

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@James_Parry

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by Team PTC

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@pass_controller

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Liam

An all-in-one virtual reality set seems like a brilliant idea to me, and for the price, the Quest 2 is very tempting, but the necessary Facebook account needed to make it work is putting me off getting one.

I’m not necessarily anti-Facebook (I use other apps that are owned by the company) but I never got around to creating an account, and reports of other people like myself effectively bricking their headsets (albeit some only temporarily) after trying to create and link a brand-new account that also needs to remain ‘active’ doesn’t fill me with confidence.

Hopefully Facebook and Oculus can iron out these early issues and the device can kick on, because I think the Quest 2 could be the piece of kit that pushes VR further into the mainstream. While Sony’s PS VR has done a decent job of bringing VR to the masses, it’s reliance on the comparatively rudimentary Move controllers for immersion make it look a bit basic when compared to the Quest 2.

I’m a big fan of VR, so any move to make it more accessible outside of dropping a couple of thousand on a supercomputer and a top-of-the-range headset is a good thing in my view.

Affordable, but could account registration issues spoil the experience for newcomers?

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James

Having only tried one of Samsung’s early Gear VR iterations, my experience with VR is fairly limited. In that case, it had the benefit of using technology you already own (with my S7 Edge at the time, to give you an idea of how long ago it was), but the performance wasn’t the sort of quality you can find today.

Oculus has been at this game for a while now, and the lineup of titles available for the Quest platform is up to 200, so I feel like there must be something for most people. Whether it’s enough to get over the physical barrier of settling down to put on a headset, rather than just picking up a controller or switching apps on a phone.

If you’re looking to expand your gaming horizons, you might be tossing up whether to dive into the next generation right now (assuming you can actually get hold of a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X pre-order), but perhaps the Oculus Quest has more potential to deliver gaming experiences you haven’t had before, since VR itself brings more variety of gameplay than the lukewarm PS5/XSX release lineup.

If the Quest could handle something like Star Wars Squadrons, or could be paired with the new Xbox Series X and/or S then perhaps that would be the perfect (if more expensive) outcome. For now, the Quest is more suited for lighter experiences, but perhaps that’s just what you’re looking for.

Star Wars: Squadrons on Quest 2 (without needing a link cable and compatible PC) would've been a big selling point.

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Sam

I own and adore the original Oculus Quest; the convenience is supreme, and has seen my PS VR headset fall by the wayside. Despite that, I don’t plan on upgrading to an Oculus Quest 2.

The price and boosted spec are booth great, but I’m not up for ditching my Oculus account in favour of forced Facebook integration. I mostly avoid using any social media, other than what’s required for my work, so having the issue pushed just doesn’t sit right - especially when Oculus originally promised it wouldn’t happen.

Having eyeballed the new Oculus user agreement, Facebook will be selling data associated with linked accounts. Stuff like how users move and the size of their hands is fair game, with the next logical step being analysis of the environment(s) that Quest 2 is being used in.

£300 for a quality standalone headset and two motion controllers almost seems too good to be true, and that’s probably because it is, with the value of your data serving to subsidise the cost. It honestly feels seedy, leaving me opposed to the very principle.

Slamming the breaks and switching gears, The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners and REZ: Infinite are a pair of great launch games. Thankfully, they’re compatible with the original Quest - which, as a bonus, isn’t garishly white - so I can still play while dodging Facebook’s meddling.

The original Quest lives on with critically acclaimed titles like REZ: Infinite still being released on it.

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What are your thoughts on the Quest 2? Let us know below.