Porn In the realm of Virtual Reality
Virtual Reality has gained popularity throughout the years. Virtual Reality is a computer simulated environment that allows the user to perceive that the environment is real. There has been an increase of demand for games and interactive environments in the VR markets. One of the more popular uses for VR content is the Adult Market. According to estimates by Piper Jaffray, and investment and Management firm, the market is predicted to reach $1 billion in 2025. Mark Kernes who is the senior editor at AVN Media Network stated “We are leading the technology in this area. Sex sells, and where there is money to be made, there will be entrepreneurs who want to adopt it and make money from it.”
Despite being around for decades, VR hasn’t gained much popularity until 2016. The reason was that in-home access to devices only became available in the 1990’s when Sega released the Sega VR headset. That same year Electric Visualization Laboratories released the CAVE which was a cubic immersive room. Unlike the CAVE, Sega VR could be used in the comfort of your own home. However, the headset was very bulky and many complained about the weight of the headset. The price tag was also very steep, few people were willing to pay the $70,000 the headset cost. Additionally, not all games were released in VR so the selection was limited. After Sega VR many companies tried their hand at VR. The most successful VR consul was the Oculus Rift which was launched in 2012 and in 2014 Facebook purchased the company and started making the Oculus more widely accessible to the general public thus increasing the content consumption.
Once the Oculus was launched the popularity of VR content exploded. BaDoink is considered to be the first company to mass produce adult oriented virtual reality content. The company was created in 2006 and was marketed as an adult entertainment site with a proprietary technology platform. In 2015 the company launched BadoinkVR which focused on content production. There are many different companies and most focus of the most popular content which is heterosexual porn. However, with the rise in popularity the different varieties of porn have increased. SoProfit.com has released an article that lists the top three companies that focus on VR porn and discusses the differences and benefits of each.
Virtual Reality Porn has been nicknamed “The Empathy Machine” by some since it allows the user to feel like he is a part of the action. This is changing the way people are searching for porn. BaDoink VR director and producer, Dinorah Hernandez stated at a Web Summit “People are asking for more romance, closeness, more talking. This is something you’ll find in a real relationship but not everyone in the world will have access to that kind of relationship. To be able to have an experience with another woman could give them something that maybe the real world can’t.” BaDoink is reporting they are producing upwards of 15–20 scenes a week that showcase more intimate scenes rather than the traditional male dominated scenes in traditional porn. Along with intimacy heavy scenes, BaDoink is also focused on education/entertainment classes for people to become better lovers.
Many experts have voiced concerns over the unrealistic expectations that VR poses to real life encounters. These include some dangerous need to “push the boundaries” and delve into more abusive content. A Newcastle University study, “They’re Just Tixel Pits, Man” researched the impact of VR porn. Research lead Mathew Wood stated “that many participants wanted the perfect sexual experience and in some cases that meant pushing the boundaries, often with highly explicit and violent imagery. With no limitations, virtual porn has the potential to be more addictive and violent. We know from current research into pornography that exposure to this content has the potential to become addictive and more extreme over time”. This has raised concerns of behaviors outside of the virtual reality realm since exposure to certain content can desensitize the user.
While some researchers suggest that VR porn could have negative effects on the users, some suggest that it may invoke a more empathetic view of sexual experiences by allowing users to view sex from the other roles perspective. This experience can make users more responsible and aware of violent and non-consensual content. Wood also stated, “Empathy is a huge factor in developing VR experiences, and I think it could foreseeably have a role if experiences were designed in certain ways.”
Many are excited to see the advances in Virtual Reality porn. Companies are in a quick race to provide the highest resolution and “biosize.” Dinorah Hernandez stated: “We’re going to reach the limit with sight. It can only get so good. We might start seeing more integration of touch, smell. We’re going to start to see that.” Where interest and popularity go porn is sure to follow. The popularity in VR porn will only continue to grow and more uses for the technology are needed every day. Virtual Reality will expand and many believe it will become a necessary tool beyond a purely sexual one.
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