This is an interesting take, especially coming from a non-gaming focused tech website like Ars Technica. I feel like it’s been too long since people were truly hyped about half life 3 though, and this wouldn’t be enough, even if Valve did go through with it.
People are increasingly unhappy with windows though, and the EoL of windows 10 may push people to Linux anyways.
VR has a major physical problem that no one has been able to solve: Nausea.
I feel bad for people who do but I’ve never gotten nauseous from VR. Maybe it doesn’t need to be for everyone? I haven’t played HL Alyx but from what I’ve heard it’s heavily crippled and reduced compared to something like Boneworks because it tries to accommodate those with motion sickness etc
Yeah, I can play Alyx just fine with point and click movement, aside from my head getting ridiculously hot, but full-motion like boneworks wrecks me in 10 minutes.
Even if Alyx is “crippled” it’s by far the best VR content that exists, by an incredibly wide margin. (I’m too lazy to check but I also think you can change it to full motion.)
It should be noted that I don’t get motion sickness in other contexts like in vehicles, rollercoasters, acrobatic aircraft, etc.