I have been a VR gamer for a strong decade now and might confidently say that 2024 was VR’s finest 12 months ever in some methods however the worst 12 months in others. We obtained huge new releases like Batman Arkham Shadow — the primary Batman Arkham sport in a decade — Skydance’s Behemoth, Metro Awakening, and a slew of different actually wonderful video games that now grace the most effective Meta Quest video games record.
Nevertheless, we even have much less competitors than ever, with Meta ruling the roost with 74% of the market share, in keeping with Counterpoint Analysis. The 2 main different gamers, Pico and Sony, noticed a considerable drop in market share this 12 months, and Apple’s Imaginative and prescient Professional didn’t make a splash due to its ridiculous worth level.
Sarcastically sufficient, this was additionally the 12 months that Meta introduced it was opening up its OS and changing into the Android of XR, asserting that new headsets with Xbox, Asus ROG, and Lenovo branding could be coming in 2025. Primarily, that exhibits that the market continues to shift prominently to standalone headsets, whereas PC and console-attached VR headsets will nearly definitely stay the minority for the foreseeable future.
Massive names, large positive factors
When Batman Arkham Shadow’s announcement trailer debuted in Might, it obtained loads of harsh criticism from Arkham followers. However many individuals who took the time to attempt it have been shocked by how good it was even regardless of not being developed by the unique Arkham group.
Likewise, the reception to Metro Awakening and Skydance’s Behemoth has been extremely strong, efficiently pulling a brand new wave of VR players off the sofa and into the expertise. Earlier AAA-grade titles have didn’t garner this type of reception, and it stays to be seen whether or not Meta and different builders will have the ability to maintain these players happy in 2025.
Confirmed VR-only improvement studios have been fastidiously chosen to translate every AAA IP’s distinctive sport mechanics and environment into VR and every sport benefitted brilliantly from this selection.
A number of the upcoming Meta Quest video games we all know of in 2025 embody the likes of Alien Rogue Incursion, the primary official Alien-branded made-for-VR sport, and it is totally doubtless we’ll proceed to see extra big-name titles make their method to VR platforms in 2025.
The entire big-name VR video games launched in 2024 have one thing in frequent, too: none of them have been developed by the unique builders of every respective IP. As a substitute, confirmed VR-only improvement studios have been fastidiously chosen to translate every title’s distinctive sport mechanics and environment into VR, and every sport benefitted brilliantly from this selection.
That is massively promising for VR players because it implies that bigger publishers and improvement homes will doubtless repeat historical past, particularly now that we’re seeing extra {hardware} come to market from manufacturers like Xbox and Asus ROG.
If Meta has confirmed something, it is that it will proceed to stay the king of XR going ahead. Meta had essentially the most profitable pair of sensible glasses in 2024, Ray-Ban Meta Sensible Glasses, and the launch of the budget-friendly Meta Quest 3S is proving to be a hit if estimates from Black Friday weekend are something to go by.
Pico by no means obtained a very good foothold available in the market due to U.S. commerce relations with China. It’s owned by Bytedance, the controversial father or mother firm of TikTok, which made it unattainable to formally promote within the nation. Pico has achieved OK elsewhere on the earth however nonetheless represents lower than 10% of headset gross sales in the newest quarter per Counterpoint Analysis’s information.
Likewise, Sony’s lack of considerable help for its PlayStation VR2 headset meant that gross sales continued to dwindle all year long. We do not have numbers for a way properly the headset offered by Black Friday weekend however no information is not excellent news, on this case.
However not all the pieces is a tragic story.
Google is launching Android XR in 2025, however there’s seemingly no {hardware} prepared for the fledgling new platform. Google says that is the primary Android “constructed for the Gemini period,” full with some impressive-looking new consumer interface ideas that might very properly revolutionize how we work together with XR gadgets sooner or later. We’ll have to attend for an precise market-ready gadget first, although, which can doubtless come from Samsung with Undertaking Moohan.
Google and Valve may probably disrupt the VR market in large methods in 2025, resulting in some thrilling potentialities.
Valve’s standalone VR headset — identified at the moment as Valve Deckard — may disrupt the VR market in an essential approach, just like how the corporate disrupted the transportable console market with the Steam Deck two years in the past.
Rumors for Deckard have been going round for what looks like years, and the newest leaks and rumors present that Valve is engaged on a brand new SteamOS-based product and new VR controllers. Steam is a fan-favorite content material distribution community and is essentially thought of essentially the most consumer-friendly digital market on the planet.
With that form of mindshare, Valve may make large waves within the VR market if it lastly debuts its long-awaited standalone {hardware}. In any other case, contemplating the momentum Meta has constructed up together with its new {hardware} companions, it is wanting like a Meta headset continues to be the most effective place to play VR in 2025.
Not solely that, however Meta’s lead in sensible glasses and multimodal AI makes the corporate the most probably to proceed to push the restrict on what we predict from VR and even XR, as a complete. Google has an actual likelihood of disrupting the market in 2025, however Meta is the most probably firm to ship on guarantees and expectations subsequent 12 months and past.
Meta must work on higher curating the immense content material it has as a substitute of selling Horizon Worlds a lot.
Meta must work on higher surfacing and curating the video games which are out there on its platform, because the indies that principally energy the platform’s content material are likely to get buried by Meta’s personal Horizon Worlds Metaverse promotions. A lot of the trade’s success and future is driving on Meta’s capability to handle the lead it at the moment has, however the firm hasn’t all the time proven it makes the most effective choices within the curiosity of the builders that help it.
Nevertheless, the online game market’s gradual decline in 2024 is not prone to let up in 2025 except some essential financial components change. Which means gross sales throughout the board — whether or not we’re speaking PS5 video games or Meta Quest headsets — will doubtless be decrease than in prior years.
A number of builders closed their doorways in 2024 due to this, and I do not essentially assume that pattern will change in 2025. I do not assume it will have an effect on the variety of big-name video games Meta and others are positive to disclose all year long, but it surely may imply a few of your favourite video games may shut up store if participant numbers do not enhance.
It is a powerful market on the market, and whereas 2025 is not doubtless to enhance a lot, it would additionally assist gamers strengthen their enterprise fashions and stay resilient by troublesome durations sooner or later. Whoever is left standing on the finish of 2025 will, little question, take within the lion’s share of the winnings going ahead.
