Virtual Reality Gaming Genres That Could Still Make a Splash

In the last couple of years, studios have come closer to mastering the art of developing virtual reality games. Players can now enjoy the immersive storytelling of Half-Life: Alyx or the intense team puzzle-solving experience of Keep Talking And Nobody Explodes, to name just a few of many successful examples. Despite the existence of truly remarkable titles however, VR has yet to evolve into a widely embraced form of gaming.

There are a lot of reasons for this, but one is that even with some great games in the mix, there aren’t quite enough buzzworthy VR experiences. To that point, we have some suggestions for interesting types and genres of games that would give the medium a boost.

Bridge Simulator

The Star Trek: Bridge Crew game in VR turned working as a crew to accomplish different missions into a fantastic science fiction experience. And it’s not a stretch to consider applying the same template to the world of battleship or submarine simulation.

Various games have attempted to recreate the complexity of the experience of controlling a naval vessel, but it’s only with the arrival of VR that studios have really begun to consider combining teamwork and bridge simulation. Soon we might be able to use our VR headsets to join up virtually with friends and command battleships against teams from around the world. It’s easy enough to imagine the right version of a game like this becoming a sensation.

Virtual Arcades

Pinball Arcade was able to successfully translate the experience of playing a pinball game by completely recreating 3D models of multiple classic pinball machines. But imagine for a moment if you could experience these games from the perspective of a player walking around an actual arcade.

A VR arcade in which you can play classic pinball and video games from decades past would be an amazing way to replay classics like Terminator 2 or Golden Axe the way they were meant to be played. Gamers would be able to explore not only classic ’80s arcade games, but also experience the vibe of ’80s and ’90s arcade venues. We could even imagine players’ character avatars sporting outdated fashion from the appropriate eras, making for a bizarre but wonderful blend of nostalgia and high-tech immersion.

Virtual Casinos

The casino gaming genre is already starting to offer more immersive experiences to their players. Some decent poker games have already come out in virtual reality, seemingly setting the table for something better to come. Similarly, the live casino games at Gala Casino demonstrate how immersive, virtual experiences can enhance other games like roulette or blackjack. Players can, for example, watch a real dealer direct a game, recreating the casino experience from home.

Virtual reality could be used to bring casinos to life in much the same way as we just discussed with regard to arcades –– allowing players to explore luxurious environments and interact with the avatars of other gamers. Users would also be able to watch different games before deciding to sit down at a virtual table and start placing bets. For that matter, players could also just sit at the (virtual) bar and enjoy the sights and sounds of a real casino.

Digital Card Games

Collectible card games don’t just attract players interested in developing complex strategies and testing them against other people. They’re also games for those who enjoy opening a new package of cards and experiencing the thrill of encountering a rare and valuable find.

Virtual Reality could bring this aspect of the experience to existing digital card games like Magic: The Gathering or Gods Unchained. Developers could recreate the experience of buying card packs at a convention or comic shop, opening them, and playing against other fans at a game center. Such an experience could attract a whole culture’s worth of card gamers to VR.

The creation of virtual environments can offer players the opportunity to experience things that would otherwise require traveling to another country, or even, another time. Players could soon immerse themselves into an old arcade, or walk around a luxurious hotel while looking for a blackjack table. If studios manage to provide truly unique experiences that only VR can make possible, gamers will stop seeing the medium as an experimental gimmick, and start taking it more seriously.

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