Missing the moment: Virtual reality’s breakout still elusive

NEW YORK: Virtual reality – computer generated 3D environments that can range from startlingly realistic to abstract wonderlands – has been on the cusp of wide acceptance for years without ever really taking off.

The pandemic should have been VR’s big moment, offering an escape for millions of locked-in households. Special headsets and gloves let people interact with a 360-degree, three-dimensional environment, seemingly a good fit for people stuck indoors. But consumers preferred simpler and more accessible tech like Zoom, Nintendo’s Switch and streaming services like Netflix.

It’s the latest disappointment in an industry famous for stop-start progress.