Virtually Here: What VR Needs to Be All That It Can (Sexually) Be
Immersive adult entertainment still has a long way to go
Over the last decade or so, explicit VR sites have gone from a smattering of high-tech curiosities to possibly hundreds of different platforms today. However, despite this impressive growth spurt, virtual reality could—or perhaps should—be far more popular.
So, what’s holding adult VR back, and how can the industry overcome these and other, sometimes quite unexpected, challenges?
Better, Faster, Cheaper
First and foremost, while extremely affordable—i.e., really cheap plastic or cardboard—smartphone-type headsets are occasionally supported, the truth is the ridiculously subpar experiences they provide tend to be more of a turn-off than a turn-on. So much so, it wouldn’t take a huge logical leap to assume this disappointment would cause most to ditch virtual reality for good, old-fashioned 2D adult content instead of investing in superior, and way more expensive, VR rigs.
Clearly, what’s needed are affordable, low-to-mid-range headsets, ideally priced below high three-figure standalones like the HTC VIVE or the Meta Quest 3.
Ideally, it should not require a separate computer. Though higher quality but affordable headsets won’t provide a super high-end experience, the improvements could be enough for people to pay a little extra.
The immersiveness problem
More than anything else, virtual reality’s undeniable allure is its total, complete immersiveness: don a pair of quality goggles and, lo and behold, you’re transported to an entirely new world where, depending on what site you’re visiting, practically anything goes.
It’s not often discussed, but one thing about VR experiences is that once you’re in, navigating can be anywhere from tricky to frustratingly immersion-breaking.
RECOMMENDED READ: When Real Isn’t Real Enough: VR and Hyperreality’s Erotic Allure
Yes, various top-of-the-line rigs come with hand controls, making it easy to fast forward, rewind, or jump from one title to another, but others don’t have this option.
As we finally have a somewhat low-cost headset option, we also need an equally friendly method to select the videos and adult interactive games we would like to enjoy, as well as change from scene to scene. What this would look like is anyone’s guess, though ideally it would either use eye or hand tracking technology or a pair of basic yet comfortable controllers.
Quicker, easier
Another common limitation VR currently suffers from is time; by this, we mean that customers usually have a choice between streaming and downloading their content.
Alas, both can turn virtual reality from a pleasure to a chore. Downloading, though allowing users to fast forward or rewind to their heart’s content, can, depending on the speed of your internet, take anywhere from several minutes to more than an hour, making VR adult content less convenient to access when erotic impules strike.
Conversely, streaming is faster but may also suffer from annoying delays unless you have an extremely fast connection—and even then, the quality is often lower resolution and can be difficult to rewind or fast forward.
A point-and-click fantasy
Lastly, if VR is going to keep moving forward, it needs to be as easy as viewing traditional 2D videos. Ideally, we should be able to put on our affordable goggles and, via their built-in eye or hand tracking tech or near-field controllers, scroll through hundreds of titles just like we do on non-VR platforms.
Then, after finding something we particularly like, we could just as effortlessly immerse ourselves in it, flicking back and forth to our heart’s content or even pausing when necessary.
The same should also be true about integrating adult VR content with next-gen sextech playthings. In all honesty, this has improved significantly, to the point where, depending on the toy’s manufacturer and the site supporting it, the process can be as smooth as silk.
Still, it should be even smoother. Case in point, why shouldn’t we be able to buy a smart, Bluetooth-enabled sextoy and, right out of the box, nearly instantly connect it to our ideal VR headset so no matter the sites we visit, everything’s ready, willing, and able to do its thing whenever and however we desire?
Virtually a dream come true
Hopefully in the coming years, we’ll see adult virtual reality companies take these and other suggestions to heart and, if so, potentially propel the entire industry beyond a complicated novelty to playing an essential part in what could be a full-blown sexual renaissance.
Image Sources: Depositphotos
