Family Game Night Goes Virtual
People are hanging out in VR more — why brands should take note
As more makers in the VR space work to bring novel experiences to VR users, we’re seeing simple things evolve, for better or for worse, into virtual experiences. Family game night happens to be one of them. (Remember family game night?) This shift is made possible by the developing ecosystem of VR devices and software. Just last week, AltspaceVR launched its newest game, Sketchy Quiz, in which users play a giant game of virtual trivia with others.
Guests form teams and then answer questions by drawing out answers. It’s just like Pictionary but in virtual reality.
The team writes:
“Having played this out at HQ before the release, this has to be the most fun the team has had in a long time. Now we want you to enjoy this just as much as we have.”
The games usually take place during allotted times. Players could win by drawing out their answers.
Try our newest experience in #VR this Thurs 1/28 with the debut of Sketchy Quiz! Join here: https://t.co/L1oeAM85MTpic.twitter.com/EOIdTiakSM
— AltspaceVR (@AltspaceVR) January 26, 2016
As developers and storytellers alike rush for the holy grail of digital experiences, many will embark on whimsical things like this Sketchy Quiz and while many will manage to create groundbreaking experiences (and, sure, there will be some overlap). This experience takes the massive multiplayer online game (now capable of supporting large numbers of players simultaneously in the same instance) and makes it more personable.
VR has its own set of challenges, particularly when a person is fully immersed in a different reality. The visceral aspects of VR could make bullying or celebrating particularly real and could actually affect our psychology. Further, as more people who use VR begin to gather in the same virtual space, they will get to decide what their avatars look like, we could see some new social rules emerging.
New community strategies will need to be created for this medium, both in game play and for simulated social settings.
As frequently explored by PSFK Labs, the potential of VR is widespread. It’s about to become part of life in a big way. PSFK Labs’ research indicates, as found in the Virtual Reality Debrief, that a key challenge for anyone developing virtual experiences is that they are decisively opt-in. Away from base curiosity, creating a compelling reason for entering into experiences like Sketchy Quiz will be the crux of their success. Sketchy Quiz is an example of how people will congregate in virtual places and spaces and could even serve as a grand experiment in how we may expect people to gather on simulated environments.
But, Sketchy Quiz is simply a reworked version of family trivia, right? Yes, but it’s also a sign that the virtual tectonic plates are about to shift.
The Virtual Reality Debrief explores how the immersive capabilities of VR are transforming industries and becoming a powerful tool for storytelling in Advertising, Travel, Retail & more.
Originally published at www.psfk.com on February 1, 2016.