VR Is Dying

Advertisers aren’t sold on virtual reality, but they are

starting to buy into the hype around augmented reality

Sales growth of VR headsets has stalled — 1 million

fewer VR headsets were sold last year than expected

and, excluding Oculus Go, major headset sales were

down 50 percent in the first half of 2018, according to

SuperData– and advertisers have become more reluctant

to spend on the technology. Lego’s head of emerging

platforms, James Poulter, said the technology right now

is just too expensive for the payoff.

“We’re still at the point where you’re not carrying a VR

device in your bag at all times,” said Poulter. “The arrival

of Oculus Go may change that, but VR isn’t something

you can do on the street at the moment. VR is an interesting

area for us in the future, but it’s far from becoming something

we do at scale. AR, on the other hand, is one of the most

immersive ways that we can get people experiencing the

product without having to have it in their hands.”

Lego is no stranger to AR apps, having launched a few of

its own already. However, recent developments show a shift

from using the technology for its novelty. It is working on an

app for Apple devices that may allow a user to scan a real-

world set they have built already, and then turn it into an AR

game. Poulter would not reveal details of the app ahead of

its launch, though did reveal that the team wants to use AR to

change the buying experience.