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VRBound Announces the Shortlist for the 2017 VR Awards
Presented by AMD, the VR Awards celebrate outstanding achievements in the virtual reality space.
An expert-level panel of judges, including Jean Duong, Jennifer Lindsey, Jonathan Nafarret, and Luciana Carvalho Se, will spend the next couple of months evaluating the shortlist of nominees.
Not to shown up by any other industry, these coveted awards will be announced in London on October 9, 2017. The ceremony will celebrate some of the biggest names in VR with an evening of entertainment and a look back at the industry’s biggest accomplishments of 2017.
Attendees will include everyone from designers and developers, consultants, directors, industry influencers and investors. If you’re looking to attend, tickets are still available with early-bird discounts ending 8/14/17.
With all of the VR heavy hitters standing to take home the ultimate prize, there is no shortage of excellent products vying for the change to win in twelve categories.
Mind-Controlled Virtual Reality Games are Here
We’ve all been waiting for it, and now we have our first opportunity to taste gaming in VR by using our minds!
Neurable partnered with Estudiofurture to create Awakening. In the game, you are a child held prisoner in a laboratory. Using powers one can only compare to telekinesis, you must make your way past robotic guards and manipulate objects in order to gain your freedom.
This new step in virtual reality promises many future benefits if the technological hurdles can be overcome.
In the way of VR and gaming, this neurological-based headset could eliminate handsets altogether. There is some skepticism that elimination of handsets would make for a less-authentic feeling experience, as real-life situations require those in the non-superhero realm to use hands to operate and move objects.
However, if this technology can be further developed, the implications to the medical industry are abundant. This type of mind-based control could be used for anything ranging from helping people with Locked In Syndrome communicate with the world to assisting amputees with prosthetic movements.
WebVR Arrives
Offering Virtual Reality for the Open Web
A passion project going back as far as 1994, WebVR strives to make virtual reality creation, interaction and enjoyment more accessible to anyone with internet access.
Visiting the WebVR site allows users to explore the possibilities. Users are encouraged to create their AR dreams with A-Frame, a platform for building experiences in VR which is gaining membership and users at a rapid rate. For the new kids on the VR-creation block, tutorials, resources, and online communities are shared.
Sean White, SVP, Emerging Technologies at Mozilla, credits the successful launch of this technological journey to, “a lot of work from some very talented software designers and engineers — and an active community of open-source hackers.”
Working closely alongside many existing companies in the VR realm, WebVR can be enjoyed on a computer, mobile device, or headsets such as those made by Oculus and HTC.
Tron 3 to be the First VR Feature Movie?
Rumors abound about the new Tron movie. The third in the series, which originated back in 1982 as a science fiction adventure film. Tron: Legacy was then released in 2010.
Jeff Bridges, Tron actor extraordinaire, is on board with the idea.
“Yeah, yeah, I’ve heard those rumors too,” Bridges replied. “I hope that happens. I think Joe’s got the script and everything, you know. Yeah, I don’t know that I’m supposed to talk about it or not. I don’t know. It should be the first virtual reality movie, you know? Wouldn’t that be cool…to see Tron in that world?”
While there is no official confirmation Tron 3 is in the works, nor is there any solid proof the movie would be made for virtual reality, fans of the series can hardly be criticized for the exciting possibility. With movie plots surrounding the idea of being swept into a digital world, VR is a natural fit for viewing.
Still, there are major reservations, as a successful feature-length film would be difficult to watch in VR.
- First, theaters would need to outfit their spaces with the proper technology — a massive undertaking.
- Second, if theaters were bypassed altogether, then only those consumers with the proper devices in their home could effectively watch this movie — a smaller market than most producers typically target.
- Thirdly, this type of viewing takes away any sort of social aspect. While many are happy to watch a movie alone, many use this act as something to do with friends or family.
- Finally, the length will be a challenge. Consumers are not yet used to passively viewing things in a VR headset for extended periods of time (gaming is different due to the active nature). Unless producers and directors can find a way to tell the story in a “comfortable” amount of time, they may find many remove headsets prior to the movie’s end simply due to eye exhaustion.
Challenges aside, virtual reality movies are the way of the future, and a new Tron movie leading the charge is an exciting prospect.
Global Virtual Reality Market Set to Reach 26.89 Million USD by 2022
According to Zion Market Research
In 2016, with the VR market estimated to be worth 2.02 billion USD, this six-year jump predicts an industry-wide boom.
Market research done to predict these numbers focuses on a variety of areas currently explored in the virtual reality space, such as hardware, software, consumer and commercial enterprises, medical, aerospace, military defense, and energy, among others.
The study predicts an increase in head-mounted displays will become more prominent in the entertainment and gaming industries, and mobile devices will increasingly utilize virtual reality technology as new products become available.
Currently, North America is leading the world as the largest market for VR in regards to the total revenue generates (2016). This is largely due to the companies residing in the U.S. who are developing the technology and platforms. Google Tilt Brush, Facebook, Oculus Rift, and Apple Company are all expected to further the VR market for North America in the coming years.
A full copy of the report can be purchased by clicking here.
