Ever since the failure of the Virtual Boy, there has been a ton of speculation about when Nintendo would next try out the technology. We’ve seen stories about how the Wii may make use of it, with Virtual Reality adding an extra bit of immersion to the motion control setup. We’ve seen comments about how it could be coming to the Wii U or 3DS, boosted in part thanks to companies like Oculus and Google making forays into the market around that time.
And well, we’ve seen more speculative VR console designs for Nintendo systems than you’d ever believe. Like hoaxer Pablo Belmonte’s infamous ‘Nintendo On’ hoax from back in 2006:
But now Nintendo has finally announced their plans for VR. Namely, the Nintendo Labo VR Kit.
Yep, it’s not a new console or add on, it’s a Nintendo Labo kit focused around turning the Switch into a Virtual Reality machine through the power of cardboard. Here’s their announcement about it on Twitter:
Introducing #NintendoLabo VR Kit, a unique first VR experience that kids and families can build themselves – launching 12/04!
Find out more at our official website: https://t.co/XgqfDafnZq pic.twitter.com/mJ9SfuhtNg
— Nintendo UK (@NintendoUK) 7 March 2019
As you can see, it’s pretty much what you’d expect from the setup. You make a VR headset type device with the cardboard provided in the pack, and then the Switch slots in to provide the actual console/game for the deal. It’s pretty basic stuff really, and it reminds us an awful lot of that Google Cardboard thing said company was playing around with back in 2014.
But hey, it’s a very Nintendo like thing to make, and as a tech demo, seems like a neat enough idea for what it is.
So let’s see wait and see what it brings, as well as whether this Nintendo Labo VR Kit deal is the start of a further shift to VR for the company or merely a quick experiment to test out the idea.
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