3 things that would make VR gaming even better in 2025
How can VR gaming become bigger and more popular in 2025? A VR gaming veteran's wishlist for the future of gaming.
As we step into the new year, it's that familiar time when we all start thinking about what we'd like to see happen in the months ahead. Today, I want to share my hopes and wishes for the virtual reality industry in 2025. But this isn't just about my wishlist – I'd love to hear what's on your mind too.
Your ideas can help inspire developers and publishers as they shape the future of VR. Plus, your feedback will help our editorial team identify topics that matter most to our readers, allowing us to create more relevant content in upcoming articles. So feel free to share your wishes and opinions in the comments or on our Instagram or Facebook.
More asynchronous multiplayer games
During the holidays, I discovered something interesting while showing friends my Quest 3S. While VR players had fun, everyone else just sat around watching. That changed when I found Acron: Attack of the Squirrels, a game that gets everyone involved.
Acron: Attack of the Squirrles - Tree players can "flatten" approaching squirrels with various projectiles. | Image: Resolution Games
Up to eight participants download the free companion app for Android or iOS and slip into the role of scurrying squirrels, whose task is to steal four golden acorns from a gnarled old tree under time pressure. The tree, in turn, can only be played from a first-person perspective in VR and must do everything in its power to keep the rebellious rodents at bay. He does this by throwing stones, pieces of wood and sticky drops of sap at them or grabbing them with his branches.
At first, the tree seems overpowering, but as soon as the squirrel players make more targeted use of the special abilities of the four different rodent classes, the balance is evened out and the asymmetrical multiplayer fun unfolds its full potential. In my case, a 15-minute trial round turned into a session lasting more than 90 minutes, which created a fantastic atmosphere.
The problem? There aren't many games like this. Besides a handful of titles like Takelings: House Party, Panoptic, VR Tribes and the classic Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes, options are limited. So, dear developers: take heart and give us more asynchronous multiplayer experiences! But platform holder Meta should also pay more attention to this subgenre in the future and include more titles of this type in its Quest+ game flat rate.
Better value for Playstation VR 2 subscribers in PS Plus
Meta's Quest+ subscription has evolved nicely since its launch. What started as a simple two-games-per-month service now includes 27 major titles like Asgard's Wrath 2, Walkabout Mini Golf, Demeo, Red Matter and Tetris Effect: Connected. New Quest 3 owners even get three months free, giving them instant access to plenty of content.
The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners, like its successor Retribution, is included in PS Plus Premium. | Image: Skydance
But PlayStation's service hasn't kept pace. While PS Plus Premium includes some VR games like Walkabout Minigolf, Synth Riders, Ghostbusters: Rise of the Ghost Lord, Kayak Mirage VR, Job Simulator, Before Your Eyes and the two The Walking Dead games, the selection is thin — especially for PS Plus Extra subscribers, who only get access to Humanity. Correct me if I've overlooked other VR titles in the Extra subscription.
For PSVR 2 to succeed, Sony needs to expand its VR library to at least 20 games, if not more.
Buy once, play anywhere
I was already a big fan of cross-buy back in my PS3 and PS Vita days. You buy a game for a Sony platform and can then automatically use it on the manufacturer's handheld device. What a great idea!
Cross-buy options have improved within individual platforms — buy a game for Meta Quest, get it free for Rift, for example. However, this is far from enough for me to advance VR gaming as a whole and grow the user base. I envision something bigger: true cross-platform ownership.
There are currently more than 70 games with cross-buy functionality in the Meta Store. Unfortunately, the bonus only applies within the Meta universe. | Image: Meta / Mixed.de
Imagine buying Metro Awakening for PSVR 2 and automatically getting access to the Quest version. This would let players enjoy their games both at home and on the go, regardless of which headset they're using.
However, for my wish to come true at some point, platform owners need to set aside their differences and create systems that work across different stores. While it's a challenging goal, making games more portable could help VR gaming reach a wider audience.
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