Morgan Lee – my prospective boss –lurches across the desk and grabs whatever’s lurking below. I look down nervously, but virtual reality comes to the rescue: stood to attention is a meaty behemoth, ready for action.
By Jack Cummings | Sub-editor: Chloe Chapman
Whilst the Oculus Rift remains mystical and futuristic, amateur virtual reality is going global. Most of us are familiar with Facebook’s 360-degree videos, and have enjoyed the horror of ‘looking around’ a Trump rally.
The feature is designed predominantly for cardboard headsets – the kind that can be found online at a next-to-nothing price. Using them is simple: technophiles simply slide their phones into a pair of papery goggles, experiencing a basic virtual reality.
cardboard VR headsets are becoming increasingly common
It’s cheap, accessible, private and immersive – so it’s no surprise that the technology is now being integrated into porn. According to Corey Price, lord of adult entertainment and VP of Pornhub, virtual reality is very much the future:
“When our 2016 Year in Review is released in early January, we expect to see that the biggest growth trend of 2016 was toward Virtual Reality content. As more producers adopt interactive and immersive content, we expect that growth to continue.”
Pornhub is the most popular adult website in the world, and whilst Corey Price expects its VR content to grow exponentially, the site does not yet have an integrated 360-video feature.
In that sense, Pornhub is a step behind specialist virtual reality competitors like VR Bangers. The latter offers videos in complete 360 at 4K definition, but comes with the biggest of all turn-offs – a subscription fee.
Of course, this isn’t any old porn, so the value-for-money factor remains to be tested. At $10-$20 per month depending on the length of subscription, the fee isn’t cheap, but it does claim to be an all important step closer to the real thing.
For those who are wondering, the website does have a couple of free preview videos. In the spirit of good journalism, Voice of London pulled on our headsets and gave a go.
On paper, virtual reality porn is a step closer to divine masturbation, but personally I spent more time at the flump end of the arousal spectrum. Instead of being turned on by Morgan Lee’s admirable fakery, I was emasculated by every equine thrust of virtual-me.
In truth, VR porn has potential, what it needs (ironically) is a bit of sexual realism. The forefront of adult entertainment so often reverts to pizza delivery boys and perky pornstars, when the world is devouring amateur content. Studio-style porn is all well and good, but very few guys are genuinely going to feel erotic in an office with a bad actress – least of all when their virtual self is packing 9 inches.