Continuing from the first part, we look back on virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) in the 2010s.
In January 2015, several reporters were invited to Microsoft's headquarters to demonstrate a new mysterious device called the "HoloLens." What was unveiled in this first demo (photographs and videos were banned) wasn't a VR headset that reflected the closed world. The device projected something like a hologram into the real world.
Microsoft's HoloLens seemed to be an ambitious new initiative that made a leap forward compared to "Oculus VR" and "Google Glass." It realized a stand-alone headset that didn't need to be connected to a PC, which seemed impossible until then. Microsoft used the term "mixed reality" to describe HoloLens, a technology that combines AR and VR. Looking at this device, we suddenly wondered if the magic of VR could make a big difference in our daily lives. I wonder if the future could come so suddenly.
At E3 2015, Microsoft announced that it would be possible to immediately realize holographic games using its own products such as "Halo" and "Minecraft". But later, it turned out that the HoloLens was priced at thousands of dollars, making it clear that it wasn't for the average user. Some of my subsequent experiences (such as playing "Super Mario" in the streets of New York) are terrifying but fascinating, when HoloLens is completely fused with reality. I could see some parts that weren't there. The field of view was narrow, and virtual objects overlapped with real objects. And these "holograms" often looked translucent, like the ghosts of Disneyland.
Meanwhile, another company with similar ideas, Magic Leap, has been secretly raising a lot of money since 2014. Also this year, HTC and Valve unveiled Oculus's rival, the Vive, giving it a holodeck-like experience with Star Trek. On the other hand, Oculus announced a new controller for the new product "Rift" that makes you feel as if you are moving your hand in another world. In addition, the 2015 VR made me cry. It was a VR movie about Syrian refugees, produced in collaboration with the United Nations. I even tried (and gave up) watching the Democratic presidential candidate's debate on VR. Almost every possible VR product was about to go on sale the following year. Suddenly, I felt like I couldn't escape from VR.
This year, the VR world became saturated. Oculus Rift. HTC Vive. "PlayStation VR". "Google Daydream". Numerous affordable Windows compatible VR headsets. The only thing I remember about 2016 was that I was desperately trying to keep up with the waves of VR coming from all directions. He set up a holodeck in his office, put his VR device in his backpack, took it home, connected it at home and dive into the PlayStation. VR was the future. Palmer Luckey, the founder of Oculus, was on the cover of TIME magazine. I became a virtual ghost buster at a theme park set up in Times Square.
The heat of expectation has risen to the limit. Some experiences were incredible. I actually wore goggles from all over the world and tried them. Most of them require a PC to work, and a lot of hardware requires patching the software to use, which requires complicated configuration work and patience, but I am in the VR world. I enjoyed diving and discovering mysterious surprises with the new app. Many of the best VR games ever were born this year. "Space Pirate Trainer," "Fantastic Contraption," "Job Simulator," and more.