With virtual reality going more and more mainstream, it is not at all very surprising that after simulations and games, the next industry to support it would be one of the most prominent and oldest facets of entertainment - the adult industry. In collaboration with BaDoinkVR, Pornhub, which analysts have found to be the 65th most visited site on the Internet, recently launched its first free virtual reality channel.
"Now, our users are not only able to view our content, but be protagonists in the experience and interact with their favorite porn stars," Pornhub vice president Corey Price said in a statement.
So yes, for all intents and purposes, porn has just experienced a massive technological upgrade. Being a multibillion-dollar industry, it has been no surprise that the adult industry would be investing heavily in the newest technologies. In fact, even before Pornhub offered the service, other adult entertainment firms have already been offering pornographic content in Virtual Reality.
One such firm is Pornhub's partner in the venture itself, BaDoinkVR, which has been offering the service for more than a year now. However, BaDoinkVR's services remain exclusive for paying members only. With Pornhub embracing the trend, virtual reality in the adult industry would most probably experience a massive boost in viewership.
BaDoinkVR CEO Todd Glider has expressed his optimism about the partnership, as well as the future of the adult industry in VR.
"Pornhub is one of the biggest distribution channels in the world. The addition of a VR category, and BaDoinkVR's award-winning content, will trigger increased consumer uptake and inspire more companies in the space to begin offering virtual reality content. It's a move that lifts all boats," he said.
In a lot of ways, Glider does have a point. After all, online adult content has been one of the most lucrative businesses on the Internet, with dedicated websites such as Pornhub boasting over 60 million unique visitors every day.
"Porn is already mainstream. It's a persistent topic of conversation in the media. This deal is most important because it broadens mainstream awareness of virtual reality. VR is still nascent tech. Innovators and early adopters have caught the wave, but this deal ushers in the majority of consumers," Glider said.
Pornhub's VR section is fully compatible with today's VR headsets, from the most advanced such as the Oculus Rift to the most basic such as the Google Cardboard. To further boost viewership, the adult site has also stated that it would be giving away 10,000 Google Cardboard prototypes to some lucky patrons.
