Bringing Nintendo's Product Philosophy to VR
Don't aim to deliver technical marvels. Instead, solve user problems.
The Bigscreen Beyond headset is turning heads in the VR world, not because it's packed with cutting-edge tech, but because it smartly applies an old Nintendo philosophy to solve real user problems.
This weekend I wanted to quickly touch on how this VR underdog (disclosure: my employer) is channeling the spirit of Nintendo's legendary innovator, Gunpei Yokoi.
Yokoi's "Lateral Thinking with Weathered Technology"
Gunpei Yokoi, the brains behind Nintendo hits like the Game Boy, had a unique approach to product design. He called it "lateral thinking with weathered technology." In simple terms, it means using cheap, well-understood tech in clever new ways, instead of chasing the latest and greatest.
How Bigscreen Beyond Applies This Philosophy
Displays: Instead of pouring millions into developing custom screens, BigscreenVR uses fantastic OLED panels benefitting from years of learning in the smartphone market. They're proven, reliable, and deliver great image quality.
Lenses: The Beyond employs a pancake lens, which have been around in different applications before VR for decades. By refining and optimizing this existing tech, they've achieved a super-compact headset without reinventing the wheel.
Tracking: Rather than building their own in-house tracking system, BigscreenVR piggybacks on SteamVR's battle-tested technology. This saved time, money, and headaches while still delivering solid performance and convenient setup transition for enthusiasts who previously used SteamVR base stations with a Vive or Index headset.
Audio: Instead of developing or customizing noise-suppression software, BigscreenVR simply placed its microphone thoughtfully on the headset. This elegant solution provides great audio for social VR apps like VRChat without diverting desperately valuable development time.
The Featherweight Champion of VR
Now, here's where BigscreenVR's clever use of "weathered technology" really pays off for users. By focusing on proven, compact components and not including the equivalent of a tablet’s worth of compute like standalone headsets, they've created something extraordinary: a VR headset that weighs just 128 grams. That's about the same mass as a Meta Quest 2 controller.
This featherweight design isn't just a cool spec to brag about. It translates directly into a better experience for users:
Extended Comfort: Spend hours in your favorite flight simulator without feeling like you're wearing a brick on your face. The lightweight design means less strain on your neck and face muscles.
Social VR Marathon: Hang out in different worlds with friends in VRChat all night long without constantly adjusting an uncomfortable headset.
By prioritizing this user-centric design, BigscreenVR has addressed one of the biggest pain points in VR – literally. They've shown that sometimes, the most innovative choice is to find a path to a better user experience that don’t require frontier technology.
Solving Real Problems Without Breaking the Bank
The beauty of BigscreenVR's approach is that it tackles genuine user needs without requiring a billion-dollar R&D budget. By cleverly using existing tech, they've created a VR headset that's compact, lightweight, and delivers where it counts – all while keeping costs reasonable for a startup.