If price is right, I think that at very worst sim racing alone will keep it alive...at least as niche peripheral.

But I think market is much, much bigger than that...again, if the price is right.

I don't think that will be the case.

There are experiences that can be had with VR that can't be hadd any other way. And it can completely change the way certain kinda games are played. That means it will create its own genre of games and claim certain genres that currently belong to the controller. Simply put, VR will naturally shine for any game where you are in a cockpit of something.

Then in addition, there will be a lot of applications outside gaming that VR will revolutionize. Once things like VR sports broadcasts become a thing and VR porn becomes a mainstay, then followed by movies shot with VR support.... truth is actually using a TV will ultimately become antiquated for those things. But that's at least another 6-10yrs away. for now, VR will just be the best way to play racers and flight sims and games like Rigs (mech warrior, titanfall....etc)

Just like with 3D games, VR will need time to find what control systems work and don't work. And ultimately will create and/or claim its own genres.

What do you base this feeling on?
Virtual reality has it's distinguishing feature bluntly described in the name. It's a reality. A well done VR will fool your brain into thinking it's real. Easily. And your brain is you. You will feel being in another place completely and will not know the difference between RR and VR if not careful. The only hints will be the strangeness and wonderfulness of that place (or horribleness). Like when you force yourself to wake up from a strange dream, you tell yourself this is reality then you find that it's still a dream (because IRL, the ceiling of your bedroom would not be bursting with water).
Does that sound comparable to anything that existed before?
It doesn't.
Will it be a gimmick in gaming? I don't think so but possibly.
Will it be a gimmick of gaming and nothin else? I will say it will not.

I feel like the requirements for VR along with other factors such as the extra effort by the player in order to use it and motion sickness will prevent VR from ever hitting the mainstream. It will probably end up like 3DS' 3D where there's so many health issue rumors concerning the technology that nobody will use it.

It's only a gimmick when Nintendo does it. Vr is the real deal.

Currently i dont think the tech is cheap enough, but by the late 2020s most game platforms will be VR based. It will eventually be applied to most entertainment mediums, and AR will be a part of everyday life. It will be one of the most disruptive technologies ever, akin to the internet or smartphones.

I don't think so

Too expensive to become popular atm

Right now I can't see many people buying it, but if VR becomes much cheaper, then it would be possible. That's still a long way from now though. For now it'll do well enough to survive I think.

I think it will find its niche market and have steady, but not amazing, sales. What made the wiimote and Kinect so extremely popular, but short-lived, was the social aspect of them along with the sense of experiencing something new. VR would need the social aspect to be hugely successful, otherwise it will be a product for a select fan base.

It will be a fad