Virtual Reality Might Finally Be Socially Acceptable
How-To Geek, Tuesday, November 26th, 2024
When I first tried modern VR in 2016, it was a niche technology that drew plenty of mainstream ridicule. Today, things are very different, and no one has to be embarrassed about having a good time in a virtual world anymore.
The public image of virtual reality did not get off to a great start. I think the most emblematic example of this is the cover of TIME magazine featuring Palmer Lucky, founder of Oculus and a pivotal figure in the modern revival of virtual reality.
Here is a 22-year-old man flailing awkwardly while wearing what seems to be skiing goggles, badly photoshopped onto a stock image of the beach. This was in 2015, when few members of the public had actually experienced the new generation of VR, and before the final production version of the Oculus Rift went on sale.