Owlchemy CEO: VR is still an emerging market because it hasn't passed the 'cafe test'
Andrew Eiche, CEO of the Google-owned mixed reality studio Owlchemy Labs, believes that VR has yet to become a truly established segment of the gaming industry. He suggests that the market remains in an emerging stage due to the current hardware form factor and a lack of social integration.
Speaking at Gamescom 2026, Eiche compared the current state of VR to the evolution of mobile phones, noting that today's headsets might be the equivalent of Nokia flip phones or the Motorola Razr. He introduced the concept of the 'cafe test'—the idea that for VR to achieve mass adoption, devices must become comfortable and socially acceptable enough to wear in public spaces without looking out of place.
The discussion also touched upon the recent wave of layoffs and studio closures affecting companies like Survios, Twisted Pixel Games, Sanzaru Games, Armature Studio, and Vertigo Games. Eiche suggested that major players, including Meta, have faced challenges due to strategic miscalculations. He argued that some companies failed to align with what the data actually shows: a high demand for social games with strong embodiment, citing titles like Gorilla Tag and Animal Company as examples of what players actually want.
In contrast to the broader industry trends, Eiche reported significant growth for Owlchemy Labs. Following the addition of a single-player mode to Dimensional Double Shift, the studio reached record-high metrics in monthly active users, daily active users, and total sessions. According to Eiche, this success stems from the studio's commitment to meeting the specific demands of the existing audience.
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