History of Virtual Reality Timeline

Jaron Lanier founded the company VPL Research in 1984. In the late 1980s he designed some of the first business-grade virtual reality hardware, and widespread adoption of the term "virtual reality" in popular media is attributed to him.

Image source: VPL Research

In 1988, the Cyberspace Project at Autodesk was the first to implement VR on a low-cost personal computer, opening VR development beyond expensive workstations.

VPL licensed the DataGlove technology to Mattel, which used it to make the Power Glove, an early affordable VR device, released in 1989.

Image source: Power Glove

Project leader Eric Gullichsen left Autodesk in 1990 to found Sense8 Corporation and develop the WorldToolKit virtual reality SDK, which offered the first real-time graphics with texture mapping on a PC and was widely used throughout industry and academia.

Image source: Sense8

In 1991, Sega announced the Sega VR headset for the Mega Drive home console, an early attempt by a major game company to bring VR to consumers.

Image source: Sega VR

In 1992, Computer Gaming World predicted "affordable VR by 1994", reflecting the era's optimism about consumer virtual reality.

Image source: Computer Gaming World

In 1992, Nicole Stenger created Angels, the first real-time interactive immersive movie where the interaction was facilitated with a dataglove and high-resolution goggles.

Image source: Nicole Stenger

The 1992 film Lawnmower Man, which features use of virtual reality systems, along with Jaron Lanier's work, is credited with spreading adoption of the term "virtual reality" in the popular media.

Image source: The Lawnmower Man (film)

The Virtual Reality Modelling Language (VRML), first introduced in 1994, was intended for the development of "virtual worlds" without dependency on headsets.

Image source: VRML

By July 1994, Sega had released the VR-1 motion simulator ride attraction in Joypolis indoor theme parks, as well as the Dennou Senki Net Merc arcade game.

Nintendo's Virtual Boy console was released in 1995, a tabletop stereoscopic console that became a commercial failure but remains a notable early attempt at consumer VR.

Image source: Virtual Boy

The Web3D consortium was subsequently founded in 1997 for the development of industry standards for web-based 3D graphics.

In 1999, entrepreneur Philip Rosedale formed Linden Lab with an initial focus on the development of VR hardware; the company later became known for Second Life.

Image source: Linden Lab

In 2001, SAS Cube (SAS3) became the first PC-based cubic room, developed by Z-A Production (Maurice Benayoun, David Nahon), Barco, and Clarté.

In 2007, Google introduced Street View, a service that shows panoramic views of an increasing number of worldwide positions such as roads, indoor buildings and rural areas.

Image source: Google Street View

Google Street View also features a stereoscopic 3D mode, introduced in 2010, enhancing the immersive quality of panoramic imagery.

In 2010, Palmer Luckey designed the first prototype of the Oculus Rift, kickstarting the modern consumer VR revolution.

Image source: Oculus Rift

Affordable components led to relative affordability for independent VR developers, and led to the 2012 Oculus Rift Kickstarter offering the first independently developed VR headset.

In 2012, the Rift was presented for the first time at the E3 video game trade show by John Carmack, generating enormous excitement among gamers and developers.

In 2013, Valve discovered and freely shared the breakthrough of low-persistence displays, which make lag-free and smear-free display of VR content possible.

Image source: Valve Corporation

The first development kits ordered through Oculus' 2012 Kickstarter shipped in 2013, putting early Rift hardware into developers' hands ahead of the second kits in 2014.

In early 2014, Valve showed off their SteamSight prototype, the precursor to both consumer headsets released in 2016.

In 2014, Sony announced Project Morpheus (its code name for the PlayStation VR), a virtual reality headset for the PlayStation 4 video game console.

In 2014, Facebook (later Meta) purchased Oculus VR for what at the time was stated as $2 billion but later revealed that the more accurate figure was $3 billion.

Image source: Reality Labs

The Chinese headset AntVR was released in late 2014; it was briefly competitive in the Chinese market but ultimately unable to compete with the larger technology companies.

Image source: AntVR

HTC and Valve announced the virtual reality headset HTC Vive and controllers in 2015, introducing room-scale tracking to consumer VR.

Image source: HTC Vive

In 2015, Google announced Cardboard, a do-it-yourself stereoscopic viewer: the user places their smartphone in the cardboard holder, which they wear on their head.

Image source: Google Cardboard

Also in 2015, Razer unveiled its open source project OSVR (Open Source Virtual Reality), aiming to standardize VR hardware and software interfaces.

Image source: Open Source Virtual Reality

Since 2015, roller coasters and theme parks have incorporated virtual reality to match visual effects with haptic feedback, blending physical thrills with digital worlds.

By 2016, there were at least 230 companies developing VR-related products, signaling rapid growth across the industry.

In 2016, HTC shipped its first units of the HTC Vive SteamVR headset, bringing high-end room-scale VR to consumers.

A patent filed by Sony in 2017 showed they were developing location tracking technology similar to the Vive's for PlayStation VR, with the potential for the development of a wireless headset.

Image source: PlayStation VR

Children are becoming increasingly aware of VR, with the number in the USA having never heard of it dropping by half from Autumn 2016 (40%) to Spring 2017 (19%).

A 2018 review on the effectiveness of mirror therapy by virtual reality and robotics for any type of pathology concluded in a similar way, supporting VR's therapeutic potential.

Image source: Mirror therapy

In June 2020, Jean Michel Jarre performed in VRChat, demonstrating the potential of virtual venues during pandemic-era shutdowns.

Image source: VRChat

In July 2020, Brendan Bradley released the free FutureStages web-based virtual reality venue for live events and concerts throughout the 2020 shutdown.

Image source: Virtual concert

In August 2020, Facebook announced that Oculus products would become subject to Facebook's terms of use and privacy policy, requiring a Facebook account for future and existing headsets beginning January 2023.

Image source: Meta Quest 3

In 2020, Oculus released the Oculus Quest 2, later renamed the Meta Quest 2, a standalone headset that became the best-selling VR device.

Image source: Quest 2

In 2021, EASA approved the first Virtual Reality-based Flight Simulation Training Device, marking regulatory acceptance of VR in aviation training.

Image source: Flight simulator

In 2021 the Oculus Quest 2 accounted for 80% of all VR headsets sold, dominating the consumer VR market.

In 2021, this practice received substantial media attention following a South Korean TV documentary, which invited a grieving mother to interact with a virtual replica of her deceased daughter.

On October 24, 2021, Billie Eilish performed on Oculus Venues, bringing a major pop star to a large-scale virtual concert audience.

Justin Bieber performed on November 18, 2021 in WaveXR, continuing the wave of major artists staging concerts in virtual reality platforms.

On December 2, 2021, non-player characters performed at the Mugar Omni Theater with audiences interacting with a live performer in both virtual reality and projected on the IMAX dome screen.

Megan Thee Stallion performed on AMAZE at AMC Theaters throughout 2022, blending theatrical venues with immersive VR experiences.

Image source: AMC Theatres

In 2022, Meta established a separate "Meta account" system, moving away from mandatory Facebook account integration for its VR headsets.

Image source: Meta Platforms

A 2022 research report by Piper Sandler revealed that only 26% of U.S. teens owned or were interested in VR, tempering expectations for mass adoption.

In January 2022, The Wall Street Journal found that VR usage could lead to physical injuries including leg, hand, arm and shoulder injuries.

Pop group Imagine Dragons performed on June 15, 2022, as part of the expanding lineup of virtual reality concerts.

Post Malone performed in Venues starting July 15, 2022, adding to the growing roster of VR live music events.

In 2022, Meta released the Meta Quest Pro, a premium mixed-reality headset aimed at professionals and enthusiasts.

Image source: Meta Quest Pro

In 2023, Sony released the PlayStation VR2, a follow-up to their 2016 headset, initially exclusive for use with the PlayStation 5 console.

Image source: PlayStation VR2

Later in 2023, Meta released the Meta Quest 3, the successor to the Quest 2, featuring improved resolution and full-color passthrough mixed reality.

Image source: Meta Quest 3

In 2024, the Federal Aviation Administration approved its first virtual reality flight simulation training device: Loft Dynamics' virtual reality Airbus Helicopters H125 FSTD—the same device EASA qualified.

In 2024, researchers from the University of Chicago demonstrated a security vulnerability in Meta Quest's Android-based system software, leveraging "Developer Mode" to inject an infected app, allowing them to obtain users' login credentials and inject false details during online banking sessions.

In 2024, Apple released the Apple Vision Pro, its entry into spatial computing that brought high-end mixed reality to Apple's ecosystem.

Image source: Apple Vision Pro

While initially exclusive for use with the PlayStation 5 console, a PC adapter for the PlayStation VR2 was released in August 2024, expanding its compatibility.

In October 2024, Meta released a lower cost entry headset, the Meta Quest 3S, with the same fresnel lenses as the Quest 2 and a lower resolution of 1832x1920 compared to 2064x2208 on the Quest 3.

Image source: Meta Quest 3S