Who doesn’t love spinning around? People who take themselves too seriously, that’s who. If you don’t take yourself too seriously and also partake in a little virtual reality gaming, this spinny VR chair might be up your alley.
The Roto VR Explorer has just opened up for pre-orders at $799 (£799) and is set to ship in October. It’s a very spinny chair, the basic idea being a chair that turns in the direction you’re looking. This is what Roto’s “Look & Turn” technology is going for, and judging from the Roto VR trailer, it looks like it implements it well.
Pairing this spinny tech with VR seems like a great idea, and far from being a gimmick, it claims to solve some problems with gaming on the best VR headsets. The first thing that stuck out to me was Roto’s claim that this Meta-partnered Roto chair will solve “the problems of 360º viewing, locomotion and motion sickness”.
I’ve personally never struggled with motion sickness while VR gaming, but I’ve been around people who have, and it’s not fun. If this chair can really solve that problem, that will be enough reason for a substantial portion of VR gamers to consider one right there.
The other related problem is 360º viewing. If you want a comfy VR experience or if you don’t have the space to circle your lounge like an under-exercised dog, sitting down for VR gaming is where it’s at. But, unless you’re an owl, this means using your controller to turn around—which isn’t as much fun or as immersive as actually turning your body around. If the Roto VR Explorer fixes this problem, I can see why the company says it might create an “unparalleled immersive experience”.
It’s also worth noting that turning around for 360º viewing when on your feet isn’t always pleasant, either. Many times I’ve opted to stand and move forwards and backwards but use the controller sticks to flip around rather than turning my body. It’s just easier that way, especially for fast-paced action games.
This chair does seem to be targeted for certain kinds of game, though. Roto says it’s “compatible with all seated VR experiences,” and I can see why it might not be useful for certain kinds of gaming. If the seat turns when you move your head, that surely means you won’t be able to have much body-and-head separation—no looking left while moving right.
I also wonder what the felt-experience will be like spinning around on this thing. In some thorough scientific testing, I sat and span around in my office chair for a few seconds, and I can confirm that you can definitely feel the spin. You know, physics and all. I doubt people will be spinning on this thing at high velocities, but I do wonder what the interplay between real-life spinny and in-virtual-reality spinny physics will feel like.
Speaking of what it’ll feel like, did I mention the Roto VR Explorer has butt vibration, too? Sorry, I mean a “built-in rumble pack that provides haptic feedback through the whole body, adding tangible immersion.” So, spins and rumbles: Count me in.
