Interplay With Games VRGames as a genre have seen some of the most prolific growth out of every entertainment medium. 20 years ago we were looking at pixelized Italian men crushing turtles and eating mushrooms. Now, games are a 44 billion dollar a year industry that spans every platform from consoles, to smartphones.

One of the newest innovations in gaming is the combination of traditional gaming platforms with virtual reality technology.  As virtual reality and augmented reality are rising in popularity there is a growing movement to combine the best parts of video games and this new, burgeoning tech.

Consider games like Minecraft; a game that encourages the user to build with attention to detail. Now watch as that experience is made almost tactile with the use of the Google Glass. Armed with this new product a game that was already selling like hotcakes suddenly broadens its scope for new players who would normally be scared off by consoles or intimidated by computers.

And if Minecraft isn't really your speed what about arcades? What about arcades that literally place you into your favorite games? Enter, the Void, a company that's attempting to marry the traditional arcade experience, laser tag, and VR. The startup was recently covered in Tech Insider and other outlets. Although still in its infancy the Void could be the next step towards a true VR-gaming marriage.

Perhaps the biggest reason to be excited about VR support in traditional games is the enhanced experience that VR could bring. Nowhere is this more exciting then in the case of No Man's Sky. The procedurally (randomly, for those uninitiated) generated game promises to give players unfettered access to an incredible Sci-Fi universe that grows as it is explored. Rumors have been circulating since 2015 that the game could be getting  support on the Google Cardboard, allowing everyone to live out their Han Solo fantasies. While the idea of a VR port is still simply rumors, the fact that these whispers have not been dispelled points to something important. Big companies are interested in VR as a potential market, and game makers are looking to it as a way to innovate and entertain. Only time will tell how much VR and games intersect with one another and what impact their meeting will have on both mediums. Either way, its an exciting time to be a gamer.

For those interested in powerpoint you can find it, and all its pretty pictures, here.