Owlchemy: Vision Pro Represents a Significant Leap Towards Mainstream VR Adoption

There are rumors that the Vision Pro is set to be shipped outside of the US, with Bloomberg reporting that Apple's VR headset may be available in several territories worldwide as early as next month. This follows the company's Worldwide Developers Conference, which took place three months after the headset's US launch. Although the exact number of headsets sold in the US is unclear, the high price point of $3,500 has made the Vision Pro a niche product. However, global availability could increase demand. This is good news for developers supporting the Vision Pro, including Owlchemy Labs, which announced in February that it would be porting its VR hits Job Simulator and Vacation Simulator to Apple's headset. According to CEO Andrew Eiche, the studio's strategy has always been to have its games available on as many platforms as possible, regardless of their size. Eiche believes that the Vision Pro represents a significant step towards mainstream adoption, citing its low friction and ease of use. The headset works with hand tracking, eliminating the need for controllers, and features auto-adjusting lenses and automatic login. Sandra Marshall, Owlchemy's newly appointed COO, agrees that reducing friction is key and notes that the Vision Pro is a good example of this. The team discusses the misconceptions surrounding VR, including the idea that it is inherently isolating, and argues that it can be enjoyed as a group activity. Owlchemy product director Matthew Hemby comments that it takes time for people to become comfortable with new technology, and Marshall notes that multiplayer games and mixed reality can provide shared experiences that are not possible on other platforms. The conversation also touches on the topic of hype cycles, with Eiche noting that the trend is similar to what happened with VR, where enthusiasm and investment drive the hype, but ultimately, the technology must deliver on its promises. He believes that AI is currently at the top of the hype curve, but its ultimate end state will be more mundane, with companies offering AI as a service package to integrate into their enterprise deployments.