Insider (a real one) talking about VR future: "I think VR is bad news."

[SvennoJ]

Burek said:

SvennoJ said:
Handhelds, tablets, laptops, phone games, playing in your room / man cave, all anti social. VR is just another display device, and imo completely impractical for MMORPG. VR didn't seem anti social at all in Otherland. Maybe he should read better books.

But surely those portable devices are much more social, since you can interact with them and other people at the same time (just like me typing this on my phone, preparing a meal for my kid and listening to music simultaneously). While VR apparatus is one giant blindfold, and while using it you are separated from the rest of your surroundings. Put headphones on, and all of a sudden two of your main senses become completely isolated from reality.

That's why many people consider VR more antisocial than any other device.

You haven't met my dad who is completely lost to the world once he starts reading a book. Same goes with certain people with handhelds, or gaming with headphones on. Or simply laying down listening to loud music on headphones. Anyway walkmans and ipods have also been claimed to be anti social devices, people walking around staring into there smart phones are the new curse. At least with VR you sit in a safe place and don't cause traffic accidents.

I don't play games during the day unless it's with the kids. I play at night, what's the difference between looking at a screen and wearing one on your head. As soon as I close the door to my man cave, all of a sudden all my senses are cut off from the rest of the house!  I play with a baby monitor in the room to combat that, and will still be using my surround speakers, no headphones please.

If it becomes an issue technology will solve it. See through glasses on command, tech alerting you to movement and/or recognizing and amplifying voices picked up around you.

I also regularly go out cycling for hours at a time, and don't even bring a phone with me. How does my family survive!