Oculus founder wants to develop VR headset that will kill you if you die in the game

A headset that kills you in real life if you die in game? A developer would like to have that in reality. MeinMMO explains what is behind the idea of ​​​​the founder of Oculus.

Palmer Luckey is co-founder of Oculus, the company behind the well-known VR headsets. Now Luckey has brought a new, old idea into play. Because he wants to develop a headset that will literally kill you if you die in the game.

The idea is not entirely new, because the well-known series “Sword Art Online” uses a similar plot. So far, however, it is only a mind game and not a real product.

VR headset is intended to link the real world with a virtual avatar

What is this idea? Luckey introduced the idea of ​​the headset in one blog post and clearly refers to “Sword Art Online” as a model. In his post, he also explains that the idea of ​​combining the real world and virtual avatars would appeal to him:

The idea of ​​merging real life with the virtual avatar has always intrigued me – you immediately up the ante to the max, forcing people to change the way they interact with the virtual world and the players in it. to be fundamentally reconsidered. Pumped up graphics may make a game feel more real, but only the threat of serious consequences can make a game feel real to you and everyone else in the game.

Our cover photo is also from Luckey’s official blog post.

How exactly is this supposed to work? Luckey has already come up with an idea for his headset to kill people. Three explosive charges are said to be installed in the headset, which are connected to a photo sensor.

Once the sensor detects a game-over screen, the color will flash and the explosive charges will detonate, “instantly destroying the user’s brain”. However, he himself also explains that this is quite error-prone. He would still have to develop a mechanism that prevents manipulation.

Luckey should have access to such life-threatening technology. Because after the takeover of Oculus by Facebook in 2014, Luckey founded the company “Anduril Industries”, which develops autonomous defense systems for the US military.

Finally he explains:

At this point, it’s just a piece of office art, food for thought for uncharted avenues in game design. Also, as far as I know, it’s the first non-fictional example of a VR device that can actually kill the user. It won’t be the last.

VR could play an important role in gaming in the future

Some researchers are already developing a system with which you should perceive smells in the game. Sounds strange at first, but for many users it is also an important step towards making games even more realistic and real.

Also, people like major MMORPG streamer Asmongold are declaring that VR games should be the future of the genre.

What do you think? Would you wish for such a headset where you have to bear the full consequences of the game in real life? Or are you happy about the clear separation between real life and the virtual world? Let us know what you think in the comments.

VR is a big topic in gaming: Zenith: The Last City is an MMORPG like many others. However, it relies entirely on virtual reality and cannot be played without such a headset. And for the release, the servers were overrun because everyone wanted to try the technology:

New VR MMORPG on Steam shows great interest in tech – servers crash