VR can be fairly costly as you have to buy a VR headset as well as have a powerful PC in some cases.
Thus, most people want at least the games they buy to be affordable so they can enjoy them without burning a hole in their pockets.
In this post, we’ll take a look at how VR games are priced and how you can get the best bang for your buck when shopping for them.
Quick Summary
In this post, we will discuss:
- How much VR games usually cost
- The importance of price to value
- Examples of some great VR games for the price
So without further ado, let’s get into it.
How Much are VR Games?
It’s very difficult to give a clear and discrete answer to this since VR games’ prices vary wildly. They are priced over a very wide range, and thus, you may not get a straightforward answer to your question.
Many VR games are free, whereas others can cost a fair amount.
When it comes to free VR games, most of them are not AAA titles that are extremely fleshed out. Instead, you’ll find that most of them are either small indie titles or VR demos for bigger games.
Thus, don’t be disappointed if you can’t find a big, AAA VR title for free.
That being said, if you’re willing to put in the time and effort to do some research and dig deep, you can easily find free gems within the VR library. There are many VR experiences that are breathtaking and free to experience. You have to spend time finding them.
The great thing about free VR games is also the fact that, of course, they’re free. Hence, if you download them and don’t like them, you can delete them and move onto the next one. Nothing is really lost except for a little bit of time.
While you definitely have the liberty to download and experiment with VR games when they’re free, you don’t have that same luxury with titles that actually cost money.
Many VR titles can cost as high as $80 even.
What’s even worse is that a lot of VR games have additional content in the form of DLCs (downloadable content) that you have also to pay extra for.
When spending that amount of money on a game, it’s important to conduct thorough research before you actually buy it. This is because before you spend that money, you must be sure that you’ll definitely get value out of it, and it won’t be something that you don’t enjoy at all.
To do this effectively, you must ask yourself what you want from a game.
- What type of genres do you like?
- Do you like narrative-driven games or gameplay-driven games? Or do you like a combination of both?
- Are graphics important to you or can you overlook them as long as the gameplay mechanics are solid?
- What type of controls do you enjoy in a VR title?
These are all questions you can ask yourself to get an idea of what type of VR titles you’ll enjoy and what you’re looking for.
The Importance of Price to Value
It’s easy to look at a $60 VR game and say that it’s overpriced. While that may genuinely be the case for some titles, it’s not true for every single game out in the market.
Sometimes, a VR game can do a lot actually to earn that price tag. This could be through several ways such as revolutionary graphics that none of its competitors have or just in the form of a ton of content that it has to offer to its users.
Many games are not story-driven but, rather, focus on gameplay mechanics. These mechanics are often so intricate, complex and deep that they can keep you entertained for months and even, years on end.
Hence, even if a game costs a fair amount, if it has the potential to keep you entertained for years, it’s safe to say that it makes up for the price.
Other games may not necessarily keep you entertained for that long but they might offer a unique VR experience that none of its contemporaries can. In the case of such games, it’s really up to you to decide whether or not you want to spend the money to have that unique experience.
That’s why research is so important.
If you spend an enormous amount of money on a VR game that you did no research on, you might find that it’s a type of game that isn’t really your preference. It might be a great game but not something that you really enjoy playing.
In such cases, there’s really no one to blame but yourself.
Great VR Games for the Price
Finally, here are some great VR titles that provide great virtual reality experiences compared to their price tags.
Again, these aren’t necessarily “cheap” games, but rather, they provide great value in regard to what they are priced at.
Half Life: Alyx
Half Life: Alyx is what gamers have been waiting 13 years for and while it’s definitely not what they expected, it’s definitely a unique experience worth having.
The virtual reality first-person shooter truly takes advantage of the VR space to simulate environments that feel extremely real.
Everything in the virtual world can be interacted with which really makes the game feel grounded and realized. It really brings immersion to the next level and the game is a treat to all first-person shooter fans as well as VR fans, in general.
Minecraft VR
Minecraft VR is one of those games that we mentioned above which can keep you entertained for years on end. If you’ve played the original Minecraft, you’ll know that the game is only limited by your imagination.
As long you let your imagination loose, the game turns into a myriad of endless possibilities that you are free to explore.
The VR version really brings a new immersion to it all as well.
Resident Evil 7 VR
If you think you’re someone that’s not easily scared by horror games, try Resident Evil 7 in VR.
There have been a lot of horror entries within the world of VR, but there’s nothing quite like Resident Evil 7. It perfectly encapsulates the paranoia and sense of danger that can put you on the edge of your seat.
The gameplay itself is also challenging but not frustrating, which really makes for a super addictive and fun experience.
Wrapping Things Up…
VR games can definitely cost a lot but if you take the time to do the appropriate research, you can easily get your money’s worth.
The key is to identify what you want out of a VR experience and browse the market for games that deliver on that type of experience.
What VR games do you enjoy? Let us know in the comments section below.
