It’s hard to know the future of VR. Is it going to be a product that brings with it a deep impact onto the tech community as well as our culture like the smartphone? Or is it something more of a fad, perhaps due to technology that wasn’t quite yet ready for primetime like 3D? In retrospect, it’s not hard to look back and think that the adoption of 3D in the consumer landscape would have been vastly different if televisions for example could produce the extra dimension without a need for glasses. In some ways, VR is also a technology that’s also been seemingly coming for the past two decades though this time around, there is far greater support behind the format – yet like 3D, its fortunes are still up in the air.

One thing that is for certain is that VR is in its infancy and needs to be nurtured correctly to ensure a thriving future. Well, perhaps two things are certain, with the second being that Oculus Rift is screwing over its most loyal user base. What can Sony learn with PlayStation VR? A lot.

Ben Kuchera writing for Polygon:

 So the news that Oculus is expanding the ways you can try and purchase a Rift is great for the virtual reality industry as a whole. But the idea of giving up any of the hardware’s inventory before they’ve fulfilled their first pre-orders feels actively hostile to the most dedicated fans, the people who were the first to buy into Oculus’ dream of consumer virtual reality.

You’ll even be able to purchase the system on Amazon on May 7. Pretty cool, huh? You’ll get your system before the people who pre-ordered in the early days!

Which is why this is such a transparently bad idea. There are people who ordered months ago still waiting for their cards to be charged and the hardware to be shipped out, and some of the units that could have gone to making those customers happy are instead going to retail locations like Best Buy, as well as Amazon and Microsoft online orders. 

When asked about it, a company spokesmen had this to say:

 That’s one of the reasons we’re going to let pre-order customers buy their Rift at retail, cancel their pre-order, and keep all their pre-order benefits, including the EVE: Valkyrie founder’s pack and priority status of Touch pre-orders, 

Such generosity from the folks at Oculus. It’s almost as if they don’t understand the point of pre-ordering online which is to – you know – not wait in line at retail and yet receive it first.

 These people ordered their Rifts. They were ready to buy them. They believed in your vision. And you’re giving their hardware to Best Buy, Amazon and Microsoft? The fact you can cancel your pre-order isn’t the point, the point is that you should take care of the people who thought they would have their hardware by now. The people who got in the virtual line first shouldn’t have to check to see if their local Best Buy will have units and then get up early to beat the scalpers to get their hardware. 

Leave it to Seinfeld to brilliantly put things into perspective.

And this is why I’m glad that PlayStation VR isn’t launching till October. Not only will PS VR cost a fraction of their competitors, but by the time it launches, Sony will have had a greater time to ramp up production. That doesn’t mean they’ll be selling them in the millions; after all, VR is still in its infancy – however, what it should mean is that Sony will have a much better chance at fulfilling pre-orders in a timely fashion.

After all, the initial pre-order from Sony through Amazon for PlayStation VR bundle sold out within minutes and the week after, Sony followed up with a standalone package pre-order on Amazon which also sold out within minutes. This means that there is demand for VR among PlayStation’s most hardcore users and Sony must do everything it can to cater to them.

Ultimately, this is not the launch of a new PlayStation, meaning that Sony isn’t expecting to sell 10+ million units in its first year and in turn, doesn’t need to worry about capturing every sale possible in as many locations as it can make VR available in. Instead, with each unit sold, Sony will have the opportunity to build a foundation for the future of VR and they must ensure that the buyer’s experience is optimal beyond how comfortable PS VR is and take into account the process of obtaining a headset as well.

After all, it’s the early adaptors that will either be singing the praises of VR or lampooning it.

 My radical idea? Stay with me, it gets tricky: Mail the people who bought your product the fucking product before you expand into retail. It’s just a thought. 

Flabbergasted that Oculus took such a shortsighted view on the Rift’s launch and despite GameStop planning on pushing PS VR starting some time in June with demo units, I hope that Sony does right by those who’ve been most eager about the addition of an extra dimension to their PS4.

Discuss:

Are you expecting a smooth launch with PlayStation VR and do you think those who pre-ordered Oculus Rift were screwed over?