It’s no secret (and arguably, no surprise) that online porn providers are seeing quite the upswing in interest as lockdown measures sweep the globe. With more of us working from home, barely finding the motivation to dress workplace casual anywhere from the waist up, and looking for any outlet available to unplug from current affairs- it’s no wonder pornography has become the world’s favorite adult pastime.
“We expected people to view more porn,” say the providers of all things adult at PornDoe, a website dedicated to providing more than enough content to outlast lockdown. “What we didn’t expect was for people to really start adopting VR porn at such a high rate.” VR pornography, or virtual reality porn, is the industry’s newest drive to further the technological limits of libido satisfaction.
“[VR Porn] has been available since 2016, and slowly gaining adoption and improving quality.” Porndoe tells us. “But since stay-at-home measures hit, we’ve seen a massive influx of users requesting that particular genre.”
What is VR Pornography?
So what is it that makes VR porn so incredibly on trend at this particular time? Well, it just makes good sense. Virtual reality erotica is a completely immersive experience. If you’ve ever donned one of the clunky, near retro-throwback-looking headsets, you’ll be well aware of how intense the imagery can feel. If you haven’t, check out any one of the thousands of YouTube reaction videos.
The tech behind VR isn’t entirely new, as the origin of the product goes even farther back than the classic View-Master toy that we all played with in our grandmother’s basements. Since the 1970’s virtual reality setups had been being produced primarily for immersive educational purposes, like flight simulators. Attempting to create a realistic, yet artificial, environment that could teach pilots and astronauts how to deal with life threatening situations brought on my engine failure or another catastrophic event.
By the 1980’s video game producers were well on board the VR train, with big names like Atari and Mattel jumping in to fund VR based projects. But, as in nearly every other surge in tech, porn found it- and perfected it. The pornography industry has long been a driver of technology, helping to goad film and tech companies into creating home video cameras, being the basis behind the creation of credit and debit cards, as well as really pump-starting the internet.
Does VR Porn Propel Technology, Or Does Tech Propel Porn?
So it only makes sense that porn would definitely get into VR programs and give them a much needed tune-up. Throughout the march of time, the auspices of emerging tech have rested largely with two main players- the military, and the porn industry. Pretty much everything else is just a lucky offshoot.
Up until about 2016, VR technology wasn’t a very exciting field. With distortion issues and narrow degrees of field vision, units were often obtrusive and cost prohibitive. Making them an excellent exhibit at tech expos, but not something any of us expected to see at home. That year, the porn industry got involved, touting a more “realistic and immersive” experience with first-person-view porn.
While first person view isn’t novel in the industry, most pornography tends to take a more voyeuristic angle, and that’s largely due to the failings of 2D cinema, where first-person-view porn generally feels even more artificial and distracting. However, studies suggest that it’s that long sought after first person experience that viewers actually want- just not on a 2D landscape.
Feeling Satisfied
One study suggest that while both sexes are more physiologically aroused by first-person-view erotica, neither sex reports the same levels of psychological stimulation from 2D first-person porn. Instead, the study showed that arousal was higher when viewers were more immersed, and porn became more intimate. Leaving viewers with a sense of presence. Something that VR porn could realistically offer.
This idea of ‘presence’ allows viewers to better employ empathy as they interact with pornographic material. Creating a more intimate feel, and helping to provide the much needed escape from the turmoil of everyday life as we know it in 2020. “This year has been tough… for so many across the globe, and for a variety of different reasons. There’s no shame in looking for a gratifying outlet.” Say the Porndoe officials.
Creating a medium in which users can feel more sexually satisfied and more emotionally satisfied is really a win-win. Especially since most VR porn focused on the more intimate aspects of sexuality- like facial and bodily response of the virtual partner. With most VR porn videos focusing more on things like foreplay, dirty talk, and the physical hallmarks of sexual gratification, more so than just genitals and penetration. “With VR, is not just about what you see [unlike traditional pornography]- it’s about the entire experience. What you hear, how you hear it, what you feel, what they feel. It’s about recreating genuine experience.” Which for a world feeling fully disconnected is something worth the wait.