Here’s why VR headsets may not be an option for PUBG fans

• Virtual Reality tools enhance gaming experience and that is seen as a risk in the case of PUBG.
• The latest warning has come from a report released by the World Economic Forum (WEF).
• VR may amplify the alleged ill-effects of a game, warns the WEF report.

Virtual reality (VR) tools enhance gaming experience, may be take one closer to reality. That may be a great feature in certain games, but what will it do to the PUBG experience? A report from the World Economic Forum has a warning.

There is a possibility that VR could possibly be an ‘engine for empathy’ to counter the current situation where online gaming is negatively correlated with empathy, the WEF Global Risks Report 2019 said.

However, the WEF report also speculates that there’s a possibility that VR may also amplify the negative effects of a game.

In PUBG’s case, gamers would actually be able to feel that they’re behind the gun, killing off players one by one until they’re the only survivor.

Jeremy Bailenson, the author of ‘Experience On Demand: What Virtual Reality Is, How It Works, and What It Can Do’ states that there is no medium that can ‘magically produce empathy’ — content that will move the body, will also move the mind.

Virtual reality (VR) as a gaming platform has been around for a while but modern VR headsets only arrived three years ago.

The Challenge for PUBG

China has already banned the massively popular PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) free-to-play mobile game for having too much ‘blood and gore’.

And, India seems to be next in line to ban the game with officials from different states claiming that its adversely impacting the lives of students and hindering their education.

On Tuesday the PUBG Mobile gaming platform issued a statement promising to provide a more ‘healthy’ gaming experience for its users.

The company said, “To foster a healthy and balanced in-game environment, we are developing numerous new features and enhancements which enables us to provide an environment for players to enjoy PUBG Mobile in a rewarding and responsible manner.”


See also:
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