Virtual reality was left for dead not too long ago.
Actually, it’s been left for dead many, many times.
But like that cat that disappears but then returns, wild as ever, virtual reality lives – and is apparently set to thrive in the future.
This is because a lot of once-pessimistic analysts are now looking at VR as a future boom business for video gaming. Since video games are already booming, it would just be one more firework to add to the night sky.
Buoyed by new headset releases as well as Sony’s dedication to VR in the next generation of the PlayStation, people who watch the industry are sounding optimistic notes.
And one company that stands to benefit in particular is Nvidia.
The maker of some of the world’s most sought-after graphics cards and chips, Nvidia powers everything from cryptocurrency mining to video gaming. To say that Nvidia is dominant would be to understate the company’s position.
One thing is certain, however: If virtual reality is going to be big next gen, then Nvidia is the chip maker best poised to take advantage of that upswing.
A lot of it probably has to do with Nvidia’s diverse – and deep – portfolio of technology. The company has its hands in a little bit of everything but the one thing that ties them all together is advanced graphical systems.
With projects in everything from artificial intelligence to self-driving cars, Nvidia also has a lot of unique skills it can offer next-gen virtual reality headset manufacturers.
It isn’t known whether Microsoft will enter the VR realm, but the company has already staked out a claim in AR. If it can position itself well within these two markets, Nvidia could set atop a niche worth up to $100 billion in the near future according to Investorplace.
Though it remains to be seen whether or not Nvidia can capitalize on the growth of VR, a lot of these prognostications of growth rely upon quality content continuing to emerge. Quality and profitability often go together but are so rarely achieved in the video game world.
As any gamer can tell you, a system is only as successful as the games it offers and no amount of technological advancement is going to make the prospect of developing VR games cheaper.
That might be one area where Nvidia really distinguishes itself and helps devs at the same time. If the companies involved in VR and AR can find a way to make games more efficiently and cheaply then the risk of development will be less and the barrier of entry for new devs will also lower somewhat. This would lead to the necessary influx of software Nvidia and other players in virtual reality and augmented reality need to thrive. Whether that happens or not, who knows but it does seem like some big players are finally waking up to the potential of a broad-based VR market.
