This VR cycle is dead
I run a VR&#x2F;AR-focused VC firm (Presence Capital). We&#x27;ve done 30+ investments in this space, so you can say that we believe in the long-term potential of VR. Even given that, we&#x27;re bearish on how quickly there will be a profitable&#x2F;sustainable VR consumer business and have advised most of our portfolio companies targeting consumers to keep burn low.<p>That being said, this article and most of the comments here are taking a singular worldview: consumer-focused VR for a western market. VR is a tool, not an industry. Context on use is required to assess traction.<p>VR for B2B or enterprises can make money today and doesn&#x27;t require mass-consumer adoption. If you make someone 10x more effective at their job (tools for sales people: OssoVR) or onboard employees faster (training: STRIVR), you can overcome the cost and rough edges on the hardware and have an ROI to justify the cost of the system.<p>Walmart, for example, recently announced they are using VR to power their training centers.
<a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;techcrunch.com&#x2F;2017&#x2F;05&#x2F;31&#x2F;walmart-is-bringing-vr-instruction-to-all-of-its-u-s-training-centers&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;techcrunch.com&#x2F;2017&#x2F;05&#x2F;31&#x2F;walmart-is-bringing-vr-ins...</a><p>We&#x27;re actively investing in VR for training companies and I recently did an overview of what separates out the best companies in this space: <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.forbes.com&#x2F;sites&#x2F;forbestechcouncil&#x2F;2017&#x2F;08&#x2F;24&#x2F;tips-on-how-to-get-your-vr-simulation-project-funded&#x2F;#39044a575ed0" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.forbes.com&#x2F;sites&#x2F;forbestechcouncil&#x2F;2017&#x2F;08&#x2F;24&#x2F;ti...</a><p>In Asia (and increasingly in the west), VR-arcades are going to be how most consumers first experience high-end PC VR. Culturally, people there are already used to going to internet cafe&#x27;s to use computers by the hour and seek out 3rd spaces. VR-by-the-hour rooms fit this mold. Additionally, the short length of most VR experiences makes it easy to have a 15-20 minute session and not be disappointed by the lack of content. IMAX is starting to open multiple VR centers and the word within the industry is that the VR Zones opened by Namco in Tokyo are currently profitable.<p>More info on this here: <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;medium.com&#x2F;@amitt&#x2F;vr-will-be-huge-in-china-41de0c758.." rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;medium.com&#x2F;@amitt&#x2F;vr-will-be-huge-in-china-41de0c758...</a>.<p>(disclosure: we&#x27;re investors in STRIVR and OssoVR)