How to Stop VR Motion Sickness (The Ultimate Guide)
Are you interested in Virtual Reality, but suffer from motion sickness? You are not alone.
I have always been prone to motion sickness. Even since I was a little boy, I remember getting sick on almost every road trip my family and I took. This unfortunate ailment made my early days in Virtual Reality extremely difficult.
From cold sweats to nausea to migraines, I have experienced all of the symptoms you hear about. If you are like me but have given up on the world of Virtual Reality, I am here to say your aspirations may not be over! Here’s how I overcame VR motion sickness and built up my “VR Legs”.
Stationary Titles
Start your VR journey by playing games that are easy on your senses. Stationary games where you are not required to move much will get your mind and body used to controlling a virtual avatar. Beat Saber is a perfect choice. There is a reason this game is so popular. Its incredibly comfortable for all VR experience levels.
Teleport Movement
Once you have gotten a few high scores in Beat Saber, time to try something with a little more movement. The game I used to help build up my tolerance to movement was Walkabout Mini Golf. This simple game is a VR must-have. Thanks to a ton of comfort options, you are able to simply press the trigger on your controller to move towards your ball for the next tee-up. On top of that, you can use your thumbstick to teleport anywhere you want on the map. Combine this movement option with slow and steady head movements, and you’ll be moving around the map in no time!
Flying
Once you are comfortable with teleporting everywhere, now its time to take to the skies! Walkabout Mini Golf has a quick flying option, allowing players to hold the thumbstick up to take flight. This movement feels a lot like what other games with “Smooth Locomotion” feel like. Smooth Locomotion just means that you are capable of using the thumbsticks in-game to move around, whether that be walking or moving some type of vehicle. This can be very disorienting to new VR users, so take your time and explore the maps in Walkabout a little at a time. In time, you will be flying around with your friends making new memories.
Warning: If you experience motion sickness during any VR experience, do not push through. Remove your headset and take a break. Trying to push through will simply create a pattern in your brain which says VR=Sick.
Following the routine I outlined above got me from being sick within 5 minutes of playing to being able to play just about any VR experience for hours with ease. I hope this helps others out there. I know VR motion sickness is a frustrating experience, but it doesn’t need to mean the end of your VR journey! Let me know if this worked for you, or if you need more tips in the comments, and I’d be happy to help!
