Virtual reality, you would be forgiven for saying, is a futuristic technology, it seems almost impossible that it already exists when you try it, and yet it is a technology that began its journey as far back as the 1960s. In fact, like so many other technologies, virtual reality has its roots in military research, where the development of super-modern weapons has always had major funding since the end of World War II, where then the Cold War created the conditions for massive investment in combat technologies that would surpass those of the adversaries. But when did it become really useful? Well, like so many other technologies-with porn, of course!

Joking aside, the adult entertainment industry has always been one of the most responsive to the mass market offering of new technologies. As we know, virtual reality became a mass commodity only after the development of the VR visor, which changed the game completely, although it took years before prices became affordable for the public. And this is where the real revolution comes in. And if we combine the technological revolution with sexual liberation and the growth in visibility (and market) of the LGBTQ+ community, there goes the big big bang in porn: it is finally possible to enjoy the best gay VR porn at the click of a button.

The new wave started in the early 2000s, when advances in displays, motion sensors, and user interfaces took a quantum leap forward in terms of accuracy and usability. During this period, even in porn, someone tried, with a tool that we might call pioneering (Vuzix iWear viewers are remembered above all), but the quality of the experience was still rudimentary. The “popular” market exploded after 2010, with the launch of such tools as the Oculus Rift, the HTC Vive, and the PlayStation VR. Finally, things got hot from 2015, when Pornhub and company opened the first sections of sites for VR content. In parallel, first with some shyness, then with the passion that has always characterized the genre, the technology has also broken through in the best paid gay porn sites, where the quality of content is combined with the total immersion allowed by VR technology

A world to discover, free from judgment

For the gay world, the possibilities opened up by VR are truly sensational. Away with the taboos, it is already possible to completely customize one’s experience: choose characters, settings, narratives. The sky is the limit. This great opportunity to choose was as usual exclusive to the heterosexual world for the first few years. Today, finally, even the homosexual community can take advantage of this wonderful invention, as the offer is finally substantial and for all tastes. For the homosexual community it is indeed a valuable opportunity, because it allows them to navigate this type of sexuality freely and anonymously, without the judgment that the community often suffers from. No stigma, just pleasure. This factor is fueling the success of technology precisely among gay men, who know how to appreciate this luxury more than straight men, for historical and cultural reasons. With the growing acceptance of gender fluidity and sexual diversity, the VR industry could play a key role in educating and empowering the LGBTQ+ community

There is always a new frontier

The journey into virtual reality has just begun. In fact, the best is yet to come. Technologies that will take the matter to a much higher level of enjoyment are already available on the market, albeit still in the pioneering stage: tools such as haptic gloves or sensory suits already exist; they only require that phase of technology improvement and cost reduction that all the tools that preceded them have seen. It’s about touching what you see in virtual reality, and feeling the touch of those we see approaching in the visor. I mean, if someone touches you, you feel it. It’s basically a dream. It’s no longer just virtual viewing, or listening: touch, the oldest of our senses, will become part of the virtual experience, taking adult entertainment definitely to another level. It is only a matter of time before these technologies become affordable for all users. And for those who like to explore gay porn, well… they will finally experience possibilities they could only imagine before.

Once we have the visor, gloves and sensory suit at our disposal, will we still call it pornography? We are on the edge of full simulation. And who knows if once we are in it we will still want to get out, to return to this bigoted, prejudiced world of bullies.  There is a risk of it becoming an addiction, a dream from which we would never want to wake up.