The future of virtual reality gaming is under intense scrutiny from players, following a wave of high-profile studio closures at Meta and perceived abandonment of hardware by Sony. In this week's GameCentral inbox, readers share their stark views on whether VR has a future, alongside discussions on Star Wars, Rockstar's secretive culture, and the challenges facing Mortal Kombat.
The Reality of VR's Collapse
A reader using the pseudonym Glover82 argues that VR gaming is now officially deceased, pointing to Meta's decision to shut down several of its best development studios. They acknowledge that Meta's deep investment produced acclaimed titles like Asgard's Wrath and Batman: Arkham Shadow, but contend the audience was never large enough to sustain it.
The turning point for many was the launch of PlayStation VR2. 'The point at which I already knew VR gaming was dead is when the PlayStation VR2 launched with just one Sony game and then they literally never mentioned it again,' Glover82 writes. Despite loving the hardware's capabilities, they label Sony's support as 'abysmal'.
While praising the strong software support for the Meta Quest platform, the reader concludes the entire concept remains too expensive and niche for mainstream adoption. They suggest a significant revival will only happen when headsets shrink to the size of ordinary glasses and become far more affordable.
Industry Shifts and Secretive Studios
Beyond VR, the inbox tackles other industry controversies. Reader Fenton lambasts the recent legal action at Rockstar, which saw around 30 staff dismissed over leaked details about GTA 6's online lobbies. They call the leaked information 'ridiculous' and unimportant, hoping the internal turmoil doesn't distract from finishing the highly anticipated game this year.
'Morale has got to be rock bottom with all this going on,' Fenton adds, criticising Rockstar's traditionally secretive approach and expressing a desire for more transparency about the developers behind beloved games.
The changing guard at Lucasfilm also sparks debate. With Kathleen Kennedy stepping down and Dave Filoni taking a leading creative role, reader Fischer questions what this means for Star Wars video games. While noting Filoni's apparent inspiration from the game Republic Commando, they express hope that his vision won't rely solely on nostalgia-driven cameos, praising the recent Star Wars Outlaws and criticising EA's initial exclusive licence as a 'mistake'.
Franchise Futures and Player Habits
The struggles of Warner Bros. and the commercial performance of Mortal Kombat 1 lead reader Badgerman to ponder the franchise's next move. They suggest the series has painted itself into a corner, where its extreme gore may alienate casual players, but toning it down would infuriate the core fanbase.
Elsewhere, players share their gaming habits from the past year. Woz_007 reveals their most-played Switch title was Hogwarts Legacy at 112 hours, followed by Donkey Kong Bananza at a staggering 86 hours. Another reader, Shahzaib Sadiq, offers a five-year retrospective on the PlayStation 5, calling it a 'lukewarm generation' hampered by a focus on live-service games and fewer true exclusives, but remains optimistic for 2026's lineup including Marvel's Wolverine.
The discussion rounds out with predictions for Forza Horizon 6, hopes for Insomniac to tackle other Marvel heroes, and the all-important casting question for Tingle in the upcoming Zelda movie. The consensus from the community is one of cautious concern for VR's viability, coupled with keen interest in how major studios navigate their most prized intellectual properties in the years ahead.
