01 July 2023 , 12:00
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Apple's Vision Pro is the tech giant's first-ever mixed reality headset, and despite clocking in at a massive $3,500 (£2,750 / AU$5230), it fails to take advantage of one of the most common VR uses right now – gaming.
Apple's new Vision Pro headset combines augmented reality (AR), which incorporates your external surroundings, and virtual reality (VR), which is more widely used for gaming applications.
When rumours first surfaced about Apple bringing out a VR headset, of course, it sparked the interest of gamers and VR enthusiasts like myself. Apple products haven’t even had a gaming focus, but maybe this was finally the bit of kit that would break the mould.
But, it seems like the Vision Pro might be more of the same. Yes, the device isn’t actually out yet, so who knows what Apple have up its sleeves between now and the Vision Pro’s launch in 2024. But, the announcement video for the Vision Pro at WWDC 2023 showcased a bunch of use cases for the new headset, and gaming was very clearly not one of them.
Currently, Apple is pushing the Vision Pro as a productivity device, doing almost anything you can do on a Mac from your headset. For example, you can edit videos, use FaceTime and watch movies.
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The device is standalone, meaning you don’t have to be plugged into an external console or computer in order to use it. However, you are still tethered to an external battery pack.
Apple showcased some of the features of the device, including next-level eye and hand tracking compared to other options like PSVR2. Using these for gaming would make for some hyper realistic experiences as you could play without having your immersion ruined by controllers.
The seamless augmented reality was clearly a primary focus for Apple when developing the headset, so you’re not completely detached from the real world at all times. This could make for some unique gaming experiences that actually incorporate the space around you, similar to those featured on the Nintendo 3DS such as Face Raiders – but, obviously, more up-to-date.
As of right now, the only games it seems like will be accessible for the headset are those which are on the Apple Arcade storefront. There has been no confirmation about whether more titles will be coming to Apple Arcade, specifically those which are AR/VR focused.
Apple has clearly created and developed a tremendous piece of technology, but not having a significant gaming focus seems like a big oversight given how it could absolutely revolutionize the industry. But, with a fair amount of time left before the launch of the headset, there’s no need to give up hope just yet.