Jordan O'BrienThere appears to be a never ending stream of VR headsets from the Oculus Rift to the HTC Vive to the PlayStation VR – but which one should people buy and use? Well if the adult entertainment industry has anything to do with it, the headset of choice will use Oculus technology – as PornHub reveals VR porn for the Gear VR, Oculus Rift and Google Cardboard.
The adult entertainment industry is already known for helping edge Betamax and HD-DVD out of the marketplace, but now it’s choosing favourites in the world of VR. Through a partnership with BaDoinkVR, PornHub’s VR content will be available for the world to stream and enjoy on their virtual reality headsets.
So could this push from the adult entertainment industry help other media formats see the VR light? Probably not.
Many industry giants have already thrown their weight behind virtual reality technology, including Sky, Disney and even Netflix. Despite their early adoption however, many of the implementations of the technology have been lacklustre – especially the Netflix App on the Oculus Rift, which is the least immersive use of VR ever.
So while the availability of porn won’t entice new companies to join the VR bandwagon, it’s likely to improve the quality of content available.
At CES 2016 Naughty America showcased its VR pornography to the public for the first time. Initial reactions of the technology were pretty unanimous – with technology publications across the globe praising the company for creating the most realistic VR content they have ever experienced.
Like PornHub, Naughty America also used Oculus technology for its demonstration – opting to show off its content on the Gear VR.
Naughty America, PornHub – both have showcased how virtual reality could be used to create an immersive experience. So how could this translate to other media formats?
Users of the Netflix’s Oculus Rift App will know how disappointing it is. Essentially the App creates a virtual environment where users can stare at a fixed screen on a virtual wall. Hardly the most immersive experience in the world.
VR porn on the other hand puts the user directly into the action, despite some restrictions; such as the narrow 180° field of view. Even that is better than looking at a flat screen on the wall though.
So what can TV shows and movies do to improve their VR adoption? Well they could at least start with putting the viewer in the shoes of the main actor.