Virtual Reality (VR) is constantly making headlines due to the state of the art technology that it incorporates. Different companies have launched their own versions of VR headsets in the market and there is intense competition in this space.
In a recent report published by SuperData and Unity technologies, it is revealed that Samsung has managed to sell more units of its Gear VR in 2016 than any other brand, including the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive.
SuperData And Unity Technologies
SuperData is the foremost provider of market intelligence regarding games and other interactive entertainment across mobile, PC, consoles and VR. It has been a part of events such as the CES and GDC.
Unity Technologies provide support to game developers of mobile, PC and console games. It provides its clients with editors and fully-integrated graphics engine.
What The Report States
The report states that an impressive 4.5 million units of the Gear VR was sold out of the total 6.3 million VR sold in 2016.
"However, as more phones become compatible this year it will be stiff competition for Samsung, especially since the Daydream View is $20 cheaper than the Gear VR," states the report pointing out that Google's VR headset will also be launched in 2017.
It may be interesting to note that many of Samsung's smartphones came with a free Gear VR headset, whereas the VR headsets of the other companies had to be bought by the users separately.
How Other VR Headsets Fared
VR headsets have also grown in popularity among the PC and console gamers. In this sector, Sony's VR was the highest seller. It was reported that Sony's headsets flew off the shelves upon release. The report also states that the Oculus headset has fallen behind, whereas the HTC Vive VR seems to be the choice for enterprises with over 400,000 units sold at a steep price of $800.
The SuperData study has found that 81 percent of Americans, who used VR deployed it for the sole purpose of gaming. Many titles became popular including I Expect You To Die and Land's End which were specifically designed for the VR experience. Job Simulator proved to be the highest grossing VR game of the year earning more than $3 million.
What The Future Holds
The VR market is growing rapidly with revenues of around $1.8 billion already generated from sales. Google's Daydream VR is now also available and is much cheaper than the other brands.
Developers too seem to be taking full advantage of the VR's popularity with games such as Resident Evil Biohazard, which released in January, offering players the full VR experience in a survival horror game.
