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Valve 'Comfortable' If Virtual Reality Headsets Fail (bbc.com)
VR headset developer Valve is "comfortable" with the idea that the technology could turn out to be a complete failure. Gabe Newell, head of the game studio, made the statement in an interview with news site Polygon. From a report: Valve is co-developer of the Vive VR headset with phone firm HTC. Mr Newell said, so far, interest in the technology was in line with its expectations and that some VR games had already sold well. In the rare and wide-ranging interview, Mr Newell said the advent of VR had much in common with the development of PCs in the 1980s. In both cases, he said, people bought technology without knowing why and discovered afterwards what they were good for. For the PC, he said, it was spreadsheets and businesses that drove the initial success. With VR, people were only starting to discover compelling uses as they experimented and took risks with the technology.Mr Newell said there were now about 1,300 VR-based applications on its Steam gaming service and about 30 of those had made more than $250,000 in revenue.
Gabe Newell, head of the game studio, made the statement in an interview with news site Polygon.
What a joke.
If they're already discussing failure as an outcome, well, then it has.
Valve failed.
I'm fairly certain a person in a high position stating they are comfortable with the failure of something means a few things: 1) It has already failed. But things in the market can fail very quickly or slowly. This appears to be a slower failure. 2) They have accounted for and have plans for how to deal with the failure. 3) They're positioning themselves so their customers aren't shocked when it completely fails, but leaves open the possibility that it might not fail.
Throws in the towel.
The appcoming Appdows 10 Cloud will lock out LUDDITE software like Steam, which will put those LUDDITES out of business! Only appy app apps will be apped on Appdows 10 Cloud!
Apps!
Couldn't this article and the question asked to Newell be slightly rephrased along the lines of, "Is Valve relying on the success of its VR headset as its primary driver of growth?" The answer appears to be "no," which seems like the prudent business strategy to me.
If it didn't cost over $1k in Canada.
VR will never fail as badly as 3D TVs because it's an easy add-on for smartphones.
Honestly, I don't see how VR could fail. It's a incredible feature for a lot of game (Try Elite Dangerous with a X52 joystick and I dare you to tell me otherwise).
Right now (and I emphasize on that), the only drawback is, well, money for both the consumer and the developer.
The specs needed to support VR is insane right now. Top that the +1000$ bucks for the VR and you'll scare more than a few. The cost for AAA game too is problematic as cannot use fixed cam to render only a part of the games. Top that the small number of people that can afford the VR and it's already unprofitable unless you're making a game that can play with or without VR.
I say, give it some time and, sooner or later, the VR will boom.
Elok
I think a lot of the commenters here are speculating a little too hard. As someone who's met him, Newell isn't one to go ceo-marketspeak on everyone. It seems to me that he is simply stating that they want to innovate for innovations sake, and innovation fails sometimes. We all know they are raking in the money with steam, so they don't NEED this to be successful. Outside of that, they are turning a profit on a high ticket item where most of their target audience cant afford it. Gotta give them props for that. And anyone who knows a thing or two about how development of a new product goes (I'm sure most on this site have a decent idea), the early adopters are there to get the train moving so the next version can be cheaper. And because most of their target audience cant afford it until its cheaper, once it gets there sales will go up with it (vive sales in november were 140,000 Msrp $799, PSVR sales were around 2 million Msrp $399). Its unlikely to be anything as big as the home computer, but it will certainly have staying power, and definitely has a demand.
Gaben: "Well, it's not like this is the 3rd version of it, AMIRITE?"
It is pretty much game over for HTC if this fails, since their phone business is not going too well...
If VR fails, they'll finally release Episode 3
VR can "fail", and will, because people don't stick with games where the main challenge is "keep from barfing".
To clarify: today's VR will fail, as did VR from the 1990s and 2000s. We might get there in the 2020s, with tracking cameras operating at kilohertz frame rates, displays refreshing at 300Hz or better, and a graphics pipeline that doesn't introduce more than a frame or two of latency -- IF game designers put some serious thought into maintaining consistent motion perception among all modes (visual-field, inner-ear, proprioceptive).
When.
The full unedited version of the interview hasn't been released yet but you can see most of statement responsible for these articles here: https://youtu.be/kMpQWSqQFK0?t...
"We think VR is going great. It's going in a way that is consistent with our expectations." "We're also pretty comfortable with the idea that it will turn out to be a complete failure. Simply because if you're not trying to do things that might fail you're probably not trying to do anything interesting at all."
It's pretty clear he's not saying VR is dead or SteamVR/Vive is a failure.
VR will work when the computer is using your eyes, not the other way around.
No wave lasts forever, you simply try to pick a good one and not some inconsequential yet overly hyped ripple, and then paddle pack out to look for the next one. Seems like Mr. Newell has done a fine job picking his waves for the most part, although SteamOS thus far seems to be a bit of a fluke.
This is the oldest trick in the book ! GABE is intentionally being 'devils advocate' - to get the community riled up. VR is here to stay !
This comment by GABE is a bit of the old 'reverse psych' - this is all strategy!
It stirs people up and gets them activated - which is the objective.
VR will be a 150billion industry by 2021
In common parlance, the term a devil's advocate describes someone who, given a certain point of view, takes a position he or she does not necessarily agree with (or simply an alternative position from the accepted norm), for the sake of debate or to explore the thought further.
Lastly, VR is not bloody TV nor is it an iteration of TV like 3D - so quit with these ridiculous comparisons.
VR is a new Paridigm!! and a brand new medium ! - like apples and oranges