China Joy: Fewer VR companies exhibit, but quality improves

来源：www.18183.com作者：游民老赵时间：2017-09-27 分享到：

By Chenyu Cui

Compared to last year, the number of VR-related companies exhibiting at China Joy in 2017 has declined. It’s true that the reduction of VR investment and the loss of some VR start-ups implies that this popular topic is cooling, and the remaining companies have further challenges to face. Rather than updating hardware, companies are focussing more on releasing innovative content and enhanced gameplay experiences for VR venues.

PS VR: Two upcoming titles, and video content partnerships

At PlayStation's show, compared to the otherwise significant pipeline for PS4 software, Sony only presented two games for PS VR, both of which stem from the ‘China Hero Project’ initiative. This highlights Sony’s ambition for exclusive games content on its VR platform, but the limited number of upcoming titles implies slow progress for high-quality VR games. Its partnerships with Jaunt, Youku, iQiyi and NetDragon for video content and education show that Sony is seeking other opportunities besides games.

HTC: Introduction of a standalone headset for China

The standalone Vive VR will be launch in China, utilizing the company’s own Viveport app platform while in the west this offering will run on Google Daydream. The other difference is that the China-focused device will use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon VR tracking technology, and that in the west will utilize Google’s World Sense positional technology. This is largely due to Google's blocked status in China. Besides its new, under-developed device, HTC presented a large range of in-house VR content from its own Vive Studios.

Hypereal: The only hardware company with a new launch

The new VR headset Hypereal VR Pano is equipped with an AMOLED high-definition screen of 2160x1200 resolution, 90hz refresh rate and a Fresnel lens. Its industrial design appears to be combination of PSVR and Oculus Touch. It offers a high-precision positioning camera for a large-angle of tracing recognition. And the price is $365, slightly lower than PS VR in China. While other VR companies are attempting to offer VR venues featuring competitive gameplay and similar battlefields, Hypereal is instead offering an online PC VR gaming experience.

VR venues become key for the industry

Most VR-related companies - namely LeKe VR, Super Captain VR, SoReal VR and Ant VR - moved brought their VR-venue furniture and setting to their China Joy exhibitions, aiming at offering a better VR-gaming experience for attendees as well as promoting their VR venues.

Compared to the VR-venue expansion in 2016, when individual and smaller chain stores occupied the market, 2017 sees the trend of bigger stores presenting something akin to a VR theme park. Most VR venue operators plan to build a VR theme park, with arcade devices to include up to 20 players once. And the companies believe theme-park experiences might better attract returning players and offer a less-repetitive gameplay experience. Additionally, VR theme parks are able to offer large battle fields for players to enjoy multiplayer modes, making it popular among gamers visiting frequently with friends, and furthers the concept of VR esports.

Source:

https://technology.ihs.com/594290/china-joy-fewer-vr-companies-exhibit-but-quality-improves