Virtual Reality is coming to Singapore slowly but surely. Plenty of headsets allow for mobile VR. Both the Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive is slowly but surely dribbling into the country. PlayStation VR is set for release this October as well, for those looking for a cheaper option. However, Singaporeans on a budget would likely be able to get their hands on a VR headset of some description in several gaming cafes that already exist in the city. Play Nation, for example, has already ordered a few sets according to the manager of the Scape branch. With this is mind, can VR headsets make it big in Singapore? Or is VR doomed to be a special premium in gaming cafes?
VR Zone gaming cafe in Japan, a potential example. Image courtesy: theverge.com
The case for the cafe
A social experience. Image courtesy: engadget.com
Reserving VR experiences for cafes has several benefits. For one, it is significantly cheaper for the user. HTC Vive headsets cost over S$1000 remember, and require a beefy home setup to run. Oculus Rift is not much better and still requires a GTX970 minimum to not make you feel ill. Even buying the PSVR is an investment of over S$1000 if you don’t already have the console and requisite PlayStation Camera. Non-Hardcore gamers would certainly see the appeal of not spending so much on a headset that would be sporadically used.
image courtesy: inverse.com
A further benefit pointed out by some of the people I asked, would be what the venue could provide alongside the Vr headset. Food, drinks, a pleasant atmosphere, all of these were suggested perks of renting a venue to play with VR. If playing a VR game is going to be a premium experience, might as well make the most of it right? Besides, having a VR party at a rented location is a lot simpler than hosting your own.
What about ownership?
Getting a bit crowded. Image courtesy: nfsa.gov.au
The one main benefit, but a significant one nonetheless, of owning your own VR set is just that. You will never have to worry about having to wait to use your own headest, hygiene concerns are not a thing, and best of all, you don’t have to leave your house. There is a lot to be said for these conveniences, but they are expensive ones. Furthermore, for more space intensive versions (such as HTC Vive’s room-scale environment or PSVR’s six square metres) this is a difficult option for many living in smaller apartments.
No-one has this kind of space in Singapore. Image courtesy: metafilter.com
Which option wins out when all is said and done is entirely based on how attractive VR is for Singaporeans. Play Nation have said that they did order VR headsets, but only a few to begin with. “We will see how attractive they are, and might order more if they are popular,” the manager of the Scape branch said over the phone.
Gamers who are really into the idea of VR gaming should absolutely get their own headset. However, the more casual user might limit their VR gaming to specialised locations.
