https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbNUIwi5F6g

The new interest in VR headsets has all the same predictions and the same problems. Ultimately it is about creating a new platform, getting the convergence of content, consumer demand and quality product. The people in the above video had a great product and a compelling gaming experience even if not so well demonstrated in the video. But they were unable to create a market for their product.

Despite going way beyond 640x480 none of the other problems with the original product have been addressed. Sure things may be lighter, faster, better, however these are incremental improvements on things that were not hard. VR also doesn't cut he mustard for intangible things. For instance, a lot of people like looking at real, actual people, hard that it may be to believe. So you are not going to have a 'cyber bar' or 'cyber library' where people are immersed in VR rather than the world around them. No amount of 'tech' is going to make people that like looking at people (and being looked at) want to wear VR in any social situation.

It is tempting to say that the mighty interest from 'newbies' to VR is going to result in everything magically sorted out and for everyone to get the wonders of VR. Whatever Facebook touch turns to gold, right? One can trust that they have the business model that eluded everyone else, plus the perfect timing into the market and the network effects to somehow make VR a day to day essential thing. But no, they still face the same challenges (albeit not 640x480) as were faced in 1995. Creating a wonderful VR headset is one thing, creating wonderful VR games is something else, inventing some must have VR application would be amazing. Even if these things can be done, to create a new platform/content delivery system is something much harder and none of the fundamental UX matters can be resolved.