VR momentum slows dramatically on Steam

Sales of virtual reality hardware has almost ground to a halt, according to a new survey.

The study, spotted by VentureBeat, shows the number of Steam users that acquired a HTC Vive only grew 0.3 per cent in July and was flat in August. Similarly, growth from Oculus Rift’s Steam userbase only reached 0.3 per cent in July, and 0.1 per cent in August.

This is a concern because both months were the first where each device was from supply constraints, meaning anyone could go online or buy a headset on the High Street. 

As it stands, only 0.18 per cent of Steam owners have a HTC Vive, and only 0.10 per cent have a Rift.

Speculation suggests that we’re seeing the end of the early adoption for VR. Anyone willing to splash out full price – hundreds of dollars for a headset, thousands for a compatible PC or laptop – is expected to have done so, meaning the only way the VR market can grow is to reach out to more mainstream or lower-spending consumers.

Sony’s PlayStation VR launches next month, while Google is hoping to launch Daydream soon. It could be that mobile and home console VR solutions prove to be more appealing and accessible to the broader market.