The addition of virtual reality chairs to the world of gaming is bringing novel experiences to players all around the globe. Along with premium visuals, sounds, and even scents, VR chairs are taking video games to a whole new level.
But what exactly are VR chairs? And how do they work?
How Virtual Reality Chairs Enhance Immersion
Early virtual reality games focused primarily on visuals. Although they opened players to new experiences, the level of immersion was somewhat lacking. After all, players were unable to feel the digital elements in the simulated environment with a VR headset alone.
Virtual reality chairs have built-in haptic capabilities that create vibrations and motions. These work in sync with the visuals, enabling VR chairs to offer rich and complex sensations. As a result, VR games now feel more intense and thrilling for players.
These VR chairs come with all sorts of features and capabilities. They also come in different designs. While the Roto VR resembles a traditional gaming chair, the Yaw1 looks completely different. At first glance, it might look more like a tiny spaceship than a chair.
Instead of just seeing the digital environment unfold before your eyes, the built-in haptic capabilities of VR chairs will make you feel like you’ve been placed inside the game. These VR chairs might even be able to simulate scents in the future. Some masks are already leveraging the power of scent to immerse their users into the virtual world, so it might not be long before VR chairs catch up with the trend.
Moreover, some players experience motion sickness when using VR headsets, making it more difficult for them to immerse themselves in the game. Virtual reality chairs might just be the solution to this problem.
Top Virtual Reality Chairs
Roto VR uses a motorized base that enables the chair to rotate to 360 degrees. By attaching its Magical Headtracker clips to your headset, the chair rotates automatically and effortlessly to wherever you look. With hands-free exploration, you won’t have to worry about messy wires in your room.
Whether you’re playing racing games or going on simulated roller coasters, Roto VR haptic sensors will vibrate so you can fully immerse yourself into the game. They are placed strategically at the back and underside of the chair for this purpose.
The chair even has digital touch pedals that support simulated walking. Instead of running around the room, you can remain seated while playing the entire time. By minimizing movement, this might help prevent motion sickness.
Measuring 3 inches in diameter and weighing only 57 lbs, the Yaw1 is one of the most lightweight and portable VR gaming chairs on the market. You can easily pick it up and fold it down whenever you’re done playing. For those with limited space, this is a very convenient feature.
The Yaw1 can also rotate 360 degrees on the vertical axis and 50 degrees on the horizontal axis, which is exceptional for a VR chair. Although it is powerful and fast, it creates minimal noise.
Featuring an open-source platform, the Yaw1 is designed to work with other VR gaming products. It might soon be compatible with non-PC platforms, including Samsung Gear VR and PlayStation VR.
The Yaw2, which is Yaw VR’s latest motion simulator, has a higher motion range. It boasts a 360-degree rotation with a 40-degree roll motion range and 70-degree pitch motion range. Unlike its previous iteration, it has that traditional gaming chair design. It ensures comfort for long hours of gaming.
The Future of Virtual Reality Gaming
Virtual reality is here, but why is it still a niche market? Although VR headset prices have gone down significantly over the years, they are too pricey for the general public. Virtual reality chairs are even more expensive than headsets, costing more than $1,000. On top of that, not everyone has the space to set up a VR gaming room. Whether you have a chair or not, you need ample space to play your games.
As virtual reality gaming continues to evolve, the gear and equipment will become more sophisticated, portable, and, hopefully, cheaper.
