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Virtual reality headsets and video games could be the hottest gifts this holiday season

 
Alex Yparraguirre, 28, of Fort Myers, plays a demo called London Heist Getaway through the Playstation VR headset at GameStop in Brandon. Yparraguire has already pre-ordered a headset.
Alex Yparraguirre, 28, of Fort Myers, plays a demo called London Heist Getaway through the Playstation VR headset at GameStop in Brandon. Yparraguire has already pre-ordered a headset.
Published July 5, 2016

For the first time, Alex Yparraguirre felt like he was actually in a video game.

He could look up, down and behind him and still be sitting in the passenger seat of a getaway car in the London Heist Getaway game for Playstation 4's new virtual reality system. Using motion sensing controllers, he could reach out to grab a gun or take hold of the car's steering wheel. He could punch with his hand to break the glass windows.

One five-minute demo of the new Playstation virtual reality system, which will be released Oct. 13, wasn't enough to satisfy his curiosity. So Yparraguirre, 28, got in line to try it again at the GameStop store on Causeway Boulevard in Brandon.

After all, he drove all the way from Fort Myers just for this.

Electronics retailers like GameStop and Best Buy began offering free demos of the Playstation 4 virtual reality technology in stores across Tampa Bay last week. Local GameStop stores have already sold out of pre-orders for the $399 system, which is anticipated to be one of the most popular holiday purchases this year.

Playstation is not the first to start selling VR headsets for personal gaming use. But the Playstation model is the first to work with a mainstream consumer gaming console and at an affordable price point. Game developers think it will be the move to make it a mainstay in the world of video gaming.

"There are over 40 million Playstation 4 gaming systems out there. When Playstation VR hits the market, things should really catch fire, because the hardware needed to play the games will already be in those homes," said Jim McCampbell, department head of Computer Animation at Ringling College of Art and Design in Sarasota. "That reduces the financial burden of buying computer hardware that is VR capable."

Virtual reality has been around for a while. Remember those bulky helmets that hung from the ceiling at Disney Quest? But the excitement behind VR in the 1990s died out pretty quickly, mostly because it was too expensive to produce and the technology just wasn't that great yet, said Ron Weaver, the technical design director with the Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy at the University of Central Florida. And most people didn't have the Internet in their homes in those days.

"What's different now is there's a critical mass forming around this," he said. "The graphic level is so much more powerful than what we saw in the original VR wave, which is why it fizzled out initially."

The new $399 Playstation VR headset is compatible with existing Playstation 4 consoles, which cost $350. GameStop is running a bundle promotion to get more accessories with the VR headset for $499. More than 50 new VR games will be available for purchase or download come October.

VR games vary in length and difficulty, but most will offer shorter play time than usual computer or console-based games. That means they will be significantly cheaper in price, too.

"With VR, there's a shelf life for how long you want to play," Weaver said. "Some people might feel sick after 15 minutes or three hours."

And while it will enhance the way people can play video games, developers don't think it will make older forms of playing obsolete.

"There are more options for gamers now, and they each offer a different experience. Angry Birds on your mobile device won't replace playing 80 hours worth of Skyrim on Xbox, which won't replace what you can do with VR," Weaver said.

And it's not just gaming. Some Realtors and real estate developers use the $15 Google Cardboard glasses with iPhones to immerse potential customers in virtual tours of shopping centers or luxury apartments. Visit St. Pete-Clearwater, Pinellas County's tourism agency, worked with a company that uses Oculus VR, a virtual-reality technology company recently acquired by Facebook, to create a virtual tour of Pinellas County with 360-degree views of attractions like Clearwater Beach and the Dali Museum.

A graduate of Ringling College was offered a job at NASA specifically for VR visualization to create mission to Mars training modules, McCampbell said.

"VR goes way beyond what you typically experience on a console or on your phone. You may be mentally engaged when playing a game or watching a video that way, but VR adds a layer of physical engagement," Weaver said. "It pokes at a nerve, which is why other industries have taken to it so much. The hidden boon for VR might not be games at all, but instead as a marketing tool to entice customers in a new way."

Back at the GameStop in Brandon, Yparraguirre is sandwiched between Pokemon ball backpacks and super hero action figures while he anxiously waits in line to try it again. He's already pre-ordered a headset.

"You are completely submerged in what's going on in the game," he said. "It doesn't have all the same peripherals of the real world but it's pretty close. It's way better than just a screen."

Contact Justine Griffin at jgriffin@tampabay.com. Follow @SunBizGriffin.