Is Video Poker Ready for the Uprise of VR Technology?

Integrating VR technology in gaming is transforming video poker!

Virtual reality (VR) is expected to make big waves in the gaming world in the next few years. We can already see games like Moss, Catan VR, and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR on the list of the best VR video games, but can we expect video poker slots to join them soon?

How Is It Currently Played?

Video poker is currently played online using a very simple layout. The player sees a video poker machine in front of them, with a set of 5 down-turned cards at the bottom of the screen and a list of the possible winning hands usually further up the screen.

Press the deal button and 5 cards are dealt. If they make up a winning poker hand like a flush or straight, then the corresponding payout is made. The cards can then be held or discarded, with new ones delivered to give the player a second chance at winning.

It is a simple setup based on a random number generator, meaning that you always get fair and unpredictable results. Some players enjoy this game because of the simplicity, looking upon it as a cross between slots and poker. 

Another reason for its popularity is that it comes in several versions, like Jacks or Better and Joker Poker. These games also tend to have among the best returns in any casino, meaning that wins are enjoyed fairly regularly. You don't need to be a poker expert to play it, but some basic knowledge of poker hands is helpful.

How Could VR Change This?

What would a VR game of video poker look like? While the long-established mechanics and rules of the game probably wouldn't change much, we could look at the presentation for an idea of what improvements could be introduced. 

For a start, the game could be set in a virtual casino. Therefore, you could enter the establishment and walk around the tables while soaking up the genuine casino atmosphere. It would then be a case of walking over to the video poker machines and choosing one of them to play.

At this point, we would see the same gameplay that is currently used in online casinos. However, the difference would be that we would be interacting with a machine and playing it as though we are really there.

Would the pleasure of winning be any greater when playing a VR game? It probably comes down to each player's personal taste. For some people, any type of win will be equally satisfying, while others may find that the setting and the life-like experience makes this type of game more enjoyable.    

What Examples Can We See in the Online Casino Industry?

VR is expected to make a difference to the online casino industry in general in the near future, although few of the big names have yet made the move into this area. It is easy to imagine the way that online casinos could be presented in a VR world and it seems certain that some developers are already working on this approach. Some virtual poker games have already made an impact and it seems like this market is going to continue growing.

One major development in recent years has seen the introduction of live dealer games, and this may help us to understand what could happen in the future with video poker. Rather than VR, this way of playing uses live-streaming to let players see the human dealer as they spin the roulette wheel or hand out the cards in each game.

Live dealer games have proved to be extremely popular, and it is now easy to find versions of roulette, blackjack, poker, and other games in this format. Yet, it should be noted that this hasn't caused the older style of games with computer-generated tables to disappear. Instead, both these ways of playing now sit side by side in casinos.

This means that a VR version of video poker could easily work alongside the current versions. Some players might prefer one way of playing while others will choose the other. It would simply mean that an extra option has been added for us to choose from.

What Happens Next?

We can see individual video poker titles popping up on VR now, but the key question is when the big casinos will move into this field. As the technology continues to improve and more people buy VR headsets, this is going to become a more important trend in the next few years.  

The first major casino to offer video poker using VR headsets is sure to get a lot of publicity out of it. However, if it follows the trend, we have seen with live dealer games we can expect to see many other casinos following suit soon after this. 

Above all, this is going to be good news for those players who look for fresh, exciting new ways of playing without losing the essence of what they like about the game in the first place. Read more about video poker games here.