Buzz
Virtual Reality (VR) is a relatively fresh concept, with its use in gaming being even more recent. The Oculus Rift, the first VR-compatible gaming headset, was not commercially available until 2016. Developers initially anticipated a surge in demand for VR games and headsets, but in reality, the VR gaming industry experienced slow growth in the beginning.
Challenges like motion sickness and latency (the delay between a player's action and the headset's response) were common. By the time Valve released Half-Life: Alyx in 2020, these issues had been addressed to some extent. The cost of headsets dropped, and the variety of available games expanded. Google introduced affordable cardboard headsets, making VR more accessible to a broader audience.
The reactions of players as they engage with virtual worlds are often amusing to watch. The reason why VR gaming can be so funny to observe is simple: while we, as spectators, know the game is fake and anticipate what will happen, for the player, the VR world feels completely real, even though they understand it's just a game. Here are our top ten funniest moments in VR gaming.
10. A Screamin' Good Time
In this video, the player repeatedly tells himself that he’s not enjoying what’s happening to him. Based on his reactions, that seems to be the case, but it raises the question of why he doesn't simply remove the headset. We'll encounter more videos where the same question arises. Perhaps the answer lies in his curiosity about what comes next and a fear of seeming weak if he quits.
Notice how the man screams quite a bit. What does he think he’ll achieve with that? Screaming doesn’t seem like a rational response, so why do we do it when we’re scared?
The amygdala, a part of the brain's center, handles emotions triggered by fear. When we scream, the amygdala signals our brain to become more alert and enhances our ability to analyze situations. This might help you get out of a haunted house, but it won't do much if you’re jumping out of a plane and your parachute fails to open.
Still, watching people react in such a primal way is undeniably entertaining.
9. Down the Rabbit Hole
You have to appreciate Mom’s determination in this clip. Despite being terrified, she’s willing to give VR a try. Her family finds her reactions funny because they know she’s safe at home, not in the place she believes she is. Of course, Mom would understand this too if she could process the situation logically. But virtual reality works on a more instinctive level, affecting the brain in a more primal way.
In Lewis Carroll’s timeless novel Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Alice follows the White Rabbit down his burrow and enters a strange, illogical world. Her experience doesn’t offer much help in a place where normal rules of logic don’t apply. This is strikingly similar to the experience of putting on a VR headset.
Mom has gone down the rabbit hole, and on some level, her brain is convinced this is a genuine experience.
8. This Game Has Teeth
The girl in this scene is a bit hesitant about what her boyfriend is urging her to do. He’s honest enough to admit he’s never played the game before, so he’s unsure of what to expect. The girl, however, has some experience with VR gaming and understands that the underwater world she’s seeing is entirely fake.
Even so, at times, basic instincts resurface. This game stands out because the player has no control over what happens to her. She’s locked in a protective cage and warned that something is coming. Like many players, she expresses her dislike for what’s happening, but there’s little she can do if she wants to complete the game.
An interesting benefit of VR gaming is its ability to help people confront their phobias. For instance, if someone can enjoy a VR experience with sharks, it may aid in overcoming their fear of them.
7. Stepping Off into the Deep End
This one is intriguing because it’s a challenge that many of us might share, even those who would typically laugh at others’ misfortune. The concept of this game is straightforward. Players must walk a narrow plank high above a city. If they make it to the end, they can step off and fall to the ground. The graphics make it clear that this is an imaginary world, with no attempt to convince the player it’s real.
Our brains are divided into three primary parts: the reptilian (or primal), the limbic, and the neocortex (though some use different terms). When players are walking the plank, the reptilian brain is in control. This is the most ancient part of the brain, responsible for vital functions such as balance, breathing, heart rate, and temperature. It doesn’t engage in rational thinking; its sole concern is survival.
The dominance of the reptilian brain helps explain the reactions of players in all of our videos, as well as why we, using the more logical areas of our brains, find VR games so entertaining to watch.
6. Releasing Steam
Though the player repeatedly assures himself that he’s safe in a room, once he dons the VR headset, rational thought goes out the window. He mumbles and curses frequently. There’s a lot of swearing in some of our videos, and much of it is more intense than just the occasional “dammit.”
Swearing acts as a safety valve, helping us release built-up tension, and the stronger the curse, the more effective the release. The player is fully aware that his experience is completely simulated, taking his helmet off for a breather before jumping back in. A wise choice if the experience starts to feel overwhelming. However, he can’t resist the pull of the VR world, which is challenging, enjoyable, and downright addictive.
5. Safety First
In this video, we witness a variety of reactions from people who aren’t familiar with VR gaming. We’ve seen these players in previous videos. They close their eyes, scream, and contort their bodies, while onlookers chuckle and assure them that they are safe.
What stands out in this video is how often people accidentally bump into real-world objects. This can be risky, especially for those new to VR who lose awareness of their physical surroundings while deeply immersed in a virtual one.
The key takeaway here is that VR should only be used in a secure environment. This is why some gamers prefer arcades, where they are supervised and can immediately share the experience with others.
4. This Game is Sick
This video collection reinforces what we’ve seen in other clips. At one point, one of the players says, “I get dizzy,” which highlights one of the potential issues with VR technology.
Many players experience dizziness or nausea while using VR headsets. This occurs because the visual input from the eyes contradicts what the body is actually doing in physical space. For instance, if a player is climbing stairs in a game but their body knows they are on a flat surface, it can cause disorientation.
This sensation can be intensified by something called “vergence-accommodation conflict.” It happens when, in VR, the eyes focus on an object that seems far away but is, in reality, on a screen right in front of them.
Watching people spin and stumble as if they’ve had one too many holiday drinks can be quite amusing.
3. Fast Food Futures
I’m not sure “funny” is the best word to describe the last clip. “Surreal” might be more fitting. The everyday act of ordering food at McDonald’s turns into an interactive shooting game with graphics reminiscent of early Duke Nukem.
The only limitations in VR are the ones we impose on our imagination. The world of gaming is undergoing significant change, and these transformations aren’t confined to gaming alone. Virtual reality has the potential to revolutionize how we engage with the world around us, altering the way we live, work, play, and relate to one another.
2. With Metaverse, It’s Only Going to Get Better
The speaker in this video emphasizes the importance of space, particularly the need for sufficient room to play safely. This is a point we’ve already discussed, and it’s undeniably accurate. In VR, two distinct spaces overlap—the physical world and the virtual one.
Gaming is set to become an essential aspect of the Metaverse, with companies working on new technologies to make the experience more immersive. The aim is to create a more realistic and enjoyable experience for all users.
1. Don’t VR Alone
This video makes it clear that VR should never be experienced alone. While you're immersed in a terrifying moment, you might notice everyone else in the room laughing uncontrollably. It’s hard to find the humor in that when you're facing a frightening experience. But don’t worry, your time to laugh at others will come, and remember, it’s always better to be safe than sorry.
I’m wondering if it would be a good idea to add a proximity sensor to VR headsets so users could receive a warning when they’re too close to real-world objects.
