Virtual Reality is unique among consumer technologies because it doesn’t just present information on a flat screen; it hijacks your senses to transport your consciousness into a new space. This profound level of immersion creates deep psychological attachments, both to the digital worlds users inhabit and the hardware that takes them there.
Here is an overview of why people tie their identity so closely to VR, and why the “headset wars” can get so intensely personal.
There are definite hard feelings about the Meta Quest, Steam Frame, Pimax Air, and other headset brands.
I’m breaking down why we tie our identity to VR, why we care so passionately about what hardware other people are using, and why we are bothered when we lose something that you can’t feel or touch.