Mobile Tech

Virtual Reality Seems to Be Dominating the Game Developers Conference as Players Big and Small Launch Products

Thursday, March 20, 2014

Is the Game Developers Conference turning into Mardis Gras?

If you haven’t been to New Orleans for the event (if you were there a couple of weeks ago, you still are probably getting over it) you are missing a spectacle. Each year it seems people are getting more and more outrageous in terms of their attire (that’s putting it mildly).

It seems that “anything goes” accessory groove has hit the virtual reality gaming sector at this week’s GDC. First off there is Sony’s new Project Morpheus, a virtual reality (VR) system for the PlayStation4. Its new school headgear technology working on an old school console system.

Then you have the offering from Seebrite. Its a VR headset that is somewhat hard to describe, it kind of reminds me of, well, I can’t say what it reminds me of, its definitely out there. At least it’s mobile powered by an iPhone or Android, although I can’t say you’d want to wear it in public.

Oculus Rift is back at the GDC with the second version of its developer SDK for its VR headset. The SDK is still in beta, and the device is still in the prototype stage. Again, its cool looking but front heavy.

Abandoning headgear, Rescape is showing off another unusual looking device, what it is calling a “first person shooter virtual gaming device” with built in software connecting to an iPhone. It’s a tubular looking device, they obviously tried to stay as far away from a real gun for safety purposes. It’s a cool idea though.

Is it just me or is all of this stuff too bulky and unwieldy? These devices remind me more of old, unwieldy cell phones than cool 21st century tech. I say lets pass these devices altogether. Someone come up with an implantable biochip, slave to an iPhone, and let’s go!