Who said virtual reality had to be lonely?

Virtual reality has transitioned from a sci-fi plot point to a commercially available gadget over the last few years. Thanks to the pioneering efforts of Palmer Luckey and his Oculus Rift headset range, we’ve been given a glimpse of the future, and it’s enough to make everyone who’s tried it think it’s more than just another computer screen. But virtual reality is often a lonely place. Unlike more traditional forms of entertainment, which let people watch and interact as part of a shared experience, VR cuts the user off from everyone else. Sure, it’s possible to remove an earphone and carry a conversation, but that’s more of a distraction than anything else — the virtual equivalent of talking on a cell phone while driving. This isolation could be an obstacle for widespread adoption, but there’s been some attempts to overcome it. XsplitCaster can be used to broadcast what you’re seeing onto a second display or indeed an online stream, even if the game itself doesn’t support it. And the game “Say What?” forces one player to pass instructions on to another in virtual reality, creating interaction even though each person is in a separate space.