Epic's Tim Sweeney Thinks Consoles Waning, VR On Rise - MMORPG.com News

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Epic's Tim Sweeney Thinks Consoles Waning, VR On Rise - MMORPG.com News

In an interview with Glixel, Epic Gaming's Tim Sweeney has indicated that he believes that VR will be as widely accepted and used by the end of the next decade as smart phones are today. In addition, he believes that consoles are in a "significant" downturn given the lackluster sales over the past holiday season.

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observer

"Sweeney compared VR to teleportation and world-historical events like the dawn of agriculture."

I wouldn't go that far. VR is a sub-genre(?) of the technological revolution. VR will probably be more accepted once the headsets shrink down in size, such as Google Glass glasses.

I agree with him about "teleportation" though. We'll be able to wear our headsets and be instantly somewhere else in real time, such as the streets in Berlin, or a soccer stadium in Brazil. It's actually already possible, but it's very expensive. Most developers are focusing on video games though, which is a shame.

Joseph_Kerr

He may be right, but i'm skeptical of anything a non-vegetable eater says.

Muke

observer said:

"Sweeney compared VR to teleportation and world-historical events like the dawn of agriculture."

I wouldn't go that far. VR is a sub-genre(?) of the technological revolution. VR will probably be more accepted once the headsets shrink down in size, such as Google Glass glasses.

I agree with him about "teleportation" though. We'll be able to wear our headsets and be instantly somewhere else in real time, such as the streets in Berlin, or a soccer stadium in Brazil. It's actually already possible, but it's very expensive. Most developers are focusing on video games though, which is a shame.

Investments must be earned back asap, through the gamers.

Nickhead420

"In addition, he believes that consoles are in a "significant" downturn given the lackluster sales over the past holiday season."
The 3 year old consoles both received lackluster refreshes. Most people who are interested in this gen of consoles already have one and aren't willing to fork over the cash for a brand new one that offers little advantage over the previous version.

Phry

Muke said:

observer said:

"Sweeney compared VR to teleportation and world-historical events like the dawn of agriculture."

I wouldn't go that far. VR is a sub-genre(?) of the technological revolution. VR will probably be more accepted once the headsets shrink down in size, such as Google Glass glasses.

I agree with him about "teleportation" though. We'll be able to wear our headsets and be instantly somewhere else in real time, such as the streets in Berlin, or a soccer stadium in Brazil. It's actually already possible, but it's very expensive. Most developers are focusing on video games though, which is a shame.

Investments must be earned back asap, through the gamers.

Headsets for VR are still problematic, but as long as they persevere i think eventually they will achieve an acceptable level of comfort/utility, we're probably still a few years away from that though, VR for the time being is unlikely to be profitable, but i half expect it will be one of those things that slowly gains a userbase, it may be a few years before VR recoups its initial losses, although devices like GearVR are likely something of an exception in that the niche they occupy is probably quite profitable, though largely irrelevant when it comes to VR gaming.

kitarad

Haven't mustered up the courage to try one of the display pieces yet . I should actually see how bad the nausea is before I judge this VR thing. They had a few in some of the bigger electronic shops on display but there was a queue to even try it. Think it was Sony attached to the PS4

Fusion

He can keep on thinking.

Aeander

Except that VR is underperforming, as expected.

maskedweasel

Aeander said:

Except that VR is underperforming, as expected.

Not just that but the most popular non-phone based VR is on a console... so.... if consoles are in a downturn but VR is picking up... isn't that somewhat contradictory? 

On a side note, isn't this the guy that tried to get a mass boycott because he thought Microsoft was going to try to take over the world with UWP?

I'd love to see his tinfoil hat collection. 

SlothnChunk

Console sales 'momentum' is only down because that statement includes the Wii U with its replacement unable to be manufactured in time for the 2016 holiday season. Both the PS4 and Xbox One saw sales increases in 2016 vs. 2015, both saw increases in sales during holiday 2016 vs 2015 and both are outpacing the last generation consoles during that same time. Had the new Nintendo been released as originally planned in November 2016, consoles sales as a whole would have hit records collectively.

VR sales in 2016 were so bad it's expected that in 2017 one of the formerly big-name and hyped manufacturers will drop out. Even more worrisome for the VR industry is the fact mobile VR headsets (and their weak hardware) were the top sellers. Those invested in VR are especially worried that mobile VR outsold more expensive and powerful units since significant leaps in power, technical, capabilities and software were to be driven by the higher sales. And software sales across the board are so bad it's hard to find a developer/publisher who wanted to reveal the horrendous sales figures publicly.

Revenue was 80% below what it was originally predicted for 2016; revenue for 2017 has been revised down by 60% from the original 2017 forecast created during the pre-launch hype years.
So, yes, VR will technically speaking be on the 'rise' in 2017 simply because 2016 turned out to be far more niche than anyone expected; it's like driving at 2 mph and slowly increasing to 5 mph....sure your rate of speed 'rose', but it's still painfully slow.

kitarad

Where is Sean when you need him ?

Crusadecrusher

This guy is washed up and doesn't have a clue. He's released one game in ten years (one coming to early access).   I never understood why these developers like Sweeney and Smeds think  somehow making video games makes them experts on the industry.  Sorry the guy flipping burgers at McDonald's isn't an expert on the restaurant industry.  

Xbox live has over 50 million users, PS doesn't release numbers but estimates they are also over 50 million users.  Both xb1 and PS4 have outsold last generation consoles that doesn't sound like they are failing...now VR sold a couple million units total in 2016?  

Aeolyn

Nickhead420 said:

"In addition, he believes that consoles are in a "significant" downturn given the lackluster sales over the past holiday season."
The 3 year old consoles both received lackluster refreshes. Most people who are interested in this gen of consoles already have one and aren't willing to fork over the cash for a brand new one that offers little advantage over the previous version.

They still don't get it... we need more games not more consoles. 

That's why I have mostly gone from consoles to pc for my gaming, I just can't get my "fix" from what the console salesmen have been providing as incentives(games) to play systems that are seldom if ever backwards compatible and when they do finally release a game worthy(imo) of forking out close to a hundred bucks(and that's not even taking into consideration how they're now trying to nickel and dime us with dlc additions) you can be sure it will be "exclusive" to the next best greatest thing since sliced bread new console that cannot play the last couple of games for the previous version of console.... rant over.

Edit: btw, I still don't own a "smart" phone, I think it's smarter to leave my phone at home when I go out into the world, instead of staying shackled to the whims of whoever may feel the need to tell the world that they just had ramen for lunch or some such other "important" news...

SlothnChunk

MisterZebub said:

Nickhead420 said:

"In addition, he believes that consoles are in a "significant" downturn given the lackluster sales over the past holiday season."
The 3 year old consoles both received lackluster refreshes. Most people who are interested in this gen of consoles already have one and aren't willing to fork over the cash for a brand new one that offers little advantage over the previous version.

Yeah and people were saying the same thing about the home PC market in the late 90s. Markets hit a slump when consumers run out of reasons to upgrade over short periods of time. I'm personally of the opinion that the reason for the console slump is directly caused by the lack luster quality of the brunt of games being offered for them.

No. It's because the Wii U was phased out and it's replacement delayed to 2017.  Also,  Microsoft is releasing a significant leap in power with a new model in 2017 and Sony's newest model, the PS4 Pro, won't have software to use it's true capabilities until Q2 or Q3 2017.  And even with all that, the PS4 and Xbox One sold better in 2016 than 2015; both are outpacing prior generation at same point.

So one console canceled without replacement ready; another a newer, more powerful but expensive model that isn't worth the extra cost until software hits the market in early 2017; and the third releasing the most powerful of all three for holiday 2017.

There is nothing 'lackluster' in terms of sales of the PS4 and Xbox One.  There is also a significant of console gamers who decided to wait until 2017 to make a new hardware purchase due to all the new hardware releases.

Mikeha

This guy does not have a clue. PS4 sold 6 million units during the holiday.

Sony Sold 6.2 Million PS4s During Holiday Season

https://gamerant.com/sony-ps4-62-million-holiday-sales-2016/

Arskaaa

VR dont have any amazing game in market. teleporting is really lame way to move.

Lurv

The hardware would need to significantly shrink. I think the size of swim goggles. You could take the actually hardware and dongle it or make it wireless to send data to VR goggles.

Wizardry

Tim actually disappointed me,he is only jumping on the bandwagon because he wet his pants when he watched that Microsoft presentation.'However that  presentation was not realistic and will not be a part of VR home gaming.
The "gimmick"itself,i will admit is a nice gimmick,attach that to games and their sales go up but so does the cost to the developer,so it better pay for itself and then some.

IMO at least 10 years away from triple A VR gaming,geesh i am still waiting for triple gaming w/o VR.

Ginaz

Let me guess...this Tim Sweeney guy has a sizable investment in VR technology? Of course he's going to tell everyone is the future.

gervaise1

The end of the next decade ..... so 2030. Better put a marker down.

satanoclause

An interesting fact. A gentleman from Chen-sen China I met at a Mozfest workshop this year said that VR headsets bundled with porn were outselling Oculus, psvr, and VIve put together.

Phaserlight

Arskaaa said:

VR dont have any amazing game in market. teleporting is really lame way to move.

Of course there are some amazing games for VR. I've found several. Maybe just none that look interesting to you or that you are aware of.

Minecraft Gear VR
Vendetta Online VR
Dreadhalls
JUMP
Quake (yes, Quake)

That's just off the top of my head, and based on personal experience.  Minecraft Gear VR and Vendetta Online VR easily have thousands of hours of playability between them.

There are also plenty of beautiful experiences that don't quite fit the definition of games (or that have some overlap) but are very moving nonetheless like: 

Land's End
Annie Amber
Notes on Blindness
National Parks
Viso Places
Nomads

...and this list is just getting started.  Oh yeah, and Bombsquad in VR is hilarious, and therefore amazing. 

Razeekster

VR is just too expensive at the moment for the small amount of games and the list grows even smaller when you realize there's not many quality made VR games.

dotdotdash

I think VR will eventually be forced down our throats as companies like Facebook have invested too much into the task at this point, but right now... VR tech sales are stagnating, and developers set up to tackle "exclusive VR" franchises are either running into significant financial problems ( see: CCP, where sales of Valkyrie failing to match even their most conservative estimates has been the final stroke in leading them into a "sell or die" scenario ) or are abandoning VR either in part or in full. What's happening is the formation of an "exclusive" market, where properties and tech are too costly for 90% of the consumer base that these companies need to attract. All indications suggest that VR sales have flat-lined. It isn't true to say that console sales are poor right now, as they're outpacing year-on-year and generation-on-generation sales, AND they've seen better growth than VR ( which has seen little to no growth at all ).

VR tech right now breaks so many product development and consumer psychology "rules" that it's unlikely to gain any further traction at this point, or even in the mid-to-long term. In order for a tech that compromises senses in such a way as VR does to gain traction, it has to be truly revolutionary. OR and Vive, beyond the hype, aren't "truly revolutionary". They're a side show, a gimmick. A high-def, fun gimmick, but a gimmick all the same.

Sweeney is talking out of his arse, frankly.

dotdotdash

Edit: btw, I still don't own a "smart" phone, I think it's smarter to leave my phone at home when I go out into the world, instead of staying shackled to the whims of whoever may feel the need to tell the world that they just had ramen for lunch or some such other "important" news...

I mean... when you say it like that, you just sound like a prissy hipster rather than anything else. The wording speaks more to you having some deeply held personal issues and a rather antisocial disposition, rather than projecting any deep or meaningful criticism of modern smart phone usage or anything of the sort.

I can suggest somewhere for you to put your soapbox when you're not using it, btw.