Believe it or not, VR headsets trace their roots back to the early 1960s when Morton Heilig developed the first head-mounted display. VR HMDs have come a long way since then, and thanks to improvements to technology and hardware, they've introduced an entirely new dimension to the gaming industry.

I began my journey into VR in 2016 with my old Lenovo K8 Note placed inside a cheap mobile VR headset. Unfortunately, my first venture into virtual reality was terrible; the in-game graphics were awful, and the refresh rate was so low that I felt dizzy within a few minutes. But little did I know that getting an Oculus/Meta Quest 2 a few years down the line would drastically change my perspective on VR gaming. Even though it’s almost three years since I first strapped the Quest 2 to my face, I continue to play VR games at least twice a week. Sure, VR is far from perfect, but it’s still a worthy investment if you’re tired of old flatscreen games and want a more interactive gaming experience.

5 Larger game library than ever

Gone are the days when we only had a handful of decent VR titles

During the early days of “modern VR,” the landscape was dominated by tech demos. Although they served as a nice attraction for newcomers, the novelty quickly wore off after a few days once reality set in, and it was evident that the "games" were rather bare-bones and had nothing to offer besides a unique gameplay mechanic or two.

Luckily, there have been tons of full-fledged games released over the years that aren’t just 2-hour-long demonstrations. You aren’t limited to a single category either; from long RPGs like Asgard’s Wrath and Vengeful Rites to survival horror games like Half-Life: Alyx, Into The Radius, and The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners, you’re bound to find something good regardless of your preferred genre.

And that's before you include the several flatscreen games that have been ported over to VR. Of course, not all of them are as fine-tuned as games developed specifically for VR headsets, and that brings us to our next point.

4 Modding community makes VR even better

As usual, Modders fix what developers don't

When I first played Skyrim in 2011, my 9-year-old self was wonderstruck by the freedom to explore and do whatever I wanted within the game world. Although I was hit by the same feelings of awe when I played Skyrim VR, I quickly felt that the official VR version of the game left a lot to be desired. I had the same opinion about Fallout 4, Payday 2, and several other ports; they were just decent, and most of the mechanics seemed half-baked and lackluster compared to something like Half Life: Alyx.

Fortunately, most of these games are blessed with active modding communities, and it's the mods released by talented folks that make virtual worlds even more enjoyable and interactive. In fact, modders have even released unofficial VR ports for unsupported flatscreen games, making the already well-stacked library of VR games even bigger. Some of these mods, especially the ones for Assetto Corsa, Doom 3, and Alien: Isolation, are so well-made that the modded versions of the games are arguably better than the official releases.

3 VR is very accessible now

You don’t need a high-end PC just to play VR games

One of the biggest drawbacks of VR was that you needed an expensive HMD alongside a high-end gaming PC with the most powerful graphics card on the market. Although a powerful system is still recommended for the best experience, you can just as easily dive into VR gaming on affordable, standalone headsets.

Modern VR headsets also don’t require you to waste minutes setting up multiple cameras around the room, so you can jump straight into your favorite games within seconds of donning your HMD. With FSR mods gaining popularity, you can even play newer games on older systems without experiencing low FPS. Having tested the OpenVR mod with Green Hell VR on my 5-year-old GTX 1080, I can assure you that VR gaming is no longer as expensive as it used to be.

2 It’s perfect for simulation games

Racing and flight sims are meant to be played in VR

If you’re a fan of racing and flight simulators, it’s natural to use racing wheels, flight sticks, and other controllers for maximum engagement. Add VR to the mix, and simulation games become a unique experience, where you can feel as though you’re the one behind the wheel. You don’t even need proper HOTAS or driving wheels set up; games like VTOL VR let you use the controllers included with the VR headset of your choice to access all the levers, switches, and buttons inside the cockpit, bringing an additional layer of interactivity.

1 VR games are just more immersive

It's hard to go back to flatscreen gaming after giving VR a shot

As a die-hard fan of games that take eons to complete, I’ve played my fair share of games spanning several genres, including MMORPGs, city-building games, and JRPGs. But even the longest games with the most engaging gameplay mechanics and multifaceted characters can’t provide the same immersion as a VR game.

That’s because VR, as a medium, lets you interact with the game as though you’re inside the virtual world, as opposed to being stuck behind a monitor. From well-designed controllers that let you grab objects in-game that support full 6DOF movement, modern HMDs leverage a lot of immersive technologies to make your gaming experience as engaging as possible.

The VR ecosystem looks better than ever

Although Microsoft pulling the plug on mixed reality was quite a bummer, there have been a lot of positive developments in the world of VR in 2023. The PlayStation VR 2, Vive XR Elite, and Meta Quest 3 headsets launched earlier in the year, with the new HMDs bringing improved Augmented Reality (AR) capabilities to the table.

Apple also intends to join the VR race once the tech giant releases the Vision Pro in February 2024. Although the Vision Pro isn't marketed as a gaming headset, it's bound to attract more developers and users, which is always a good thing for an emerging technology like VR. Overall, I’m quite excited about the future of the virtual reality industry as we enter 2024.