LOS ANGELES — The Juggernaut of interest in virtual reality and the convergence of sex and technology is steaming forward, and making mainstream headlines in the process — piquing consumer curiosity and raising questions about this new frontier’s impact on sexuality, society and more.
In a recent article for Fusion entitled “When it comes to VR porn, men want more than just sex,” author Kashmir Hill took a look at the current state of adult virtual reality and what it means for the future of romantic relationships.
Hill attended the VR Porn Summit held at the Kink.com headquarters in San Francisco, joined by a group of 70 market leaders intent on unlocking the secrets of immersion and presence for profit.
One major player in attendance at the event was HoloFilm Productions, which was on hand to demo its POV VR porn — content that is continually being fine-tuned in response to audience feedback, a significant amount of which reveals a desire for less graphic material.
For her part, Hill’s first VR porn experience resulted in her immediately taking off the headset, and commenting that “It’s like Human Anatomy 101 up in there and not my cup of tea.”
“Apparently I’m not alone in being turned off by something this graphic in VR,” Hill explains. “The fans of the new genre keep telling producers that they want their virtual reality to feel realistic, with sexual encounters where they can make an emotional connection.”
HoloFilms’ President Anna Lee agrees, telling Hill that the company is seeing the demand for “a girlfriend experience,” as it pushes the boundaries of adult VR production.
“They want emotional connection and cuddling more than just sex. They want the actresses to look them in the eyes and say ‘I love you,’” Lee told Hill. “We’re moving away from the gonzo hardcore stuff to more intimate experiences. They’re requesting more average penis sizes from the actors. They want it to be easier to feel like they’re in it.”
For Lee, this new genre requires a perceptual shift for performers who are used to porn rather than providing virtual companionship and “love” to their audience.
“I ask performers, ‘What would you really do with your boyfriend?’” says Lee. “And then I tell them, ‘Do that! That’s what people want.’”
Hill cites several fan reports about what they like and don’t like about current VR porn, and points to BaDoinkVR’s sex therapy movies as an indicator of where the market is heading.
“When actually placed inside porn scenes virtually, men want the kind of porn that traditionally appeals to women,” Hill concludes. “If it’s true that pornography has ‘ruined sex,’ it’s possible that VR porn could make men better, more emotional lovers, because they’re less distanced from the sexual act they’re watching.”
It could also give them a new reason to pay for porn.
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