Near future tech wrt sex and VR? I don’t know. The absence of mainstream sex bots and VR porn is striking at least in the Bay Area. Maybe it isn’t so in the EU or Asia, but Silicon Valley can be pretty buttoned up. There is nothing brave or new about virtual sex. Let’s face it. Internet porn of the 90s built the Internet. If VR tech is to become main stream, you better believe that it will be when the public demands that they don’t want to throw up during VR sex.

The Striking Vipers episode was really interesting in terms of imagining what we could do with VR in the future. The problem with consumer VR systems right now is that it's a hassle. You have to put on a giant headset that sometimes makes people sick. In my opinion VR is a little too early. Once it gets to the point of popping on some VR glasses (no bigger than standard sunglasses) then I think the VR gaming scene will explode.

I've watched 3 episodes so far and they are all closer to our reality than most previous episodes. Still recommend it, the show hasn't lost its attractiveness. Especially episode two shines with some supreme performances.

Also saw three. Less gritty, little less futuristic. Has there been changes in the writing staff?

No idea, but to me it seems a conscious decision. From season two on I get the impression that there were some common themes underlying the episodes - exposing the darkest part of human psychy, future world building, this thime it seems to be near-future effects of technology on our humanity that we can already see.

No, they're still mostly written by one very hard working person

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0111765/