Virtual reality is the next big thing in digital gaming…and this time it might even stick around. But one of the biggest hurdles to adoption for VR systems like the Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive is that, at the end of the day, you’re strapping a screen to your face and tethering yourself to a computer.
Having a thick bundle of cables rip off your headset just as you’re getting into the game is a long way from the immersive future we’ve been promised.Developers and engineers have been working on a wireless solution almost since the beginning of this VR renaissance. We’re not quite there yet—there aren’t any full-power solutions that are wireless out of the box, at least at the moment. But those willing to try some unconventional solutions for their setup can get a taste of wireless VR freedom today, and the rest of us can look forward to some of them tomorrow.
The Cheap, Easy Option: Mobile VR Headsets
Technically all of the mobile solutions for VR are wireless, in that they rely on phones that are already sans wires. This has some obvious advantages: it doesn’t require a significant investment, since all of the important technology is already in your expensive phone and the headset is little more than a fancy housing and a set of lenses to “blow up” the high-resolution phone screen. Google’s older Cardboard VR system is literally named after how cheap it is, though anyone who wants something a little more chic than a cardboard Viewmaster can spring for a more durable plastic version. Google Daydream and Samsung Gear VR are more capable, including more elaborate headsets (that actually stay on your head) and gamepad support, but they are practically limited to mobile-style games at the moment.
There’s also the compatibility issue: both of these systems require Android and a relatively narrow selection of expensive phones.However, there is an interesting idea floating around that combines VR-capable PC games and wireless mobile VR headsets. Riftcat emulates the binocular visual systems and head-tracking capabilities of PC-based headsets like the HTC Vive on a mobile phone-and-headset system, streaming compatible games to the phone’s screen. You still need a VR-capable PC, phone, high-speed Wi-Fi, and Cardboard-style mobile headset with a strap, but assuming you have at least some of those elements, it’s a much more inexpensive way to try full PC VR out. And of course, it’s wireless. Riftcat is free to try with in-game time limits, or a reasonable $15 for the full version. Keep in mind that the software is still in development. Just remember that you can’t use the Vive’s motion controllers with Riftcat, so you’ll have to stick with games that work with a gamepad.
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