I think that we will not be explicitly seen as video gaming per se, I think that as technology becomes more and more
part of our lives it will be harder to distinguish gaming and participation (think interactive TV, where do you draw the
line?).
We seem to be moving more and more into 'holodeck' mindset (and now i don't want star trek, but i thought
its a good example). Have a look at Everquest and SimsOnline, very open gameplay, there are no real objectives rather
it is played as an alternate life...
Whether we can go true VR is up to the technology (although i doubt we will have it in the the next 10 - 20 years, there
are too many limitations... i mean if we cant do a simple 'force field' we cant have a true immersive VR).
And don't even think of VR headsets, cos they quite frankly suck, the physical factors limit whatever potential the
designers had originally in visioned, for example neck cramps, size of the room you are playing in (if we're
talking about motion senseing (and if we're not then just stick your head up close to your monitor and you have
instant VR headset)). If we want true VR we're going to have to interface with the mind directly and that brings
up too many ethical issues, in this case VR is being held back not by tech but by society.
I think geeks of the world unite... we do the global domination thing, getting revenge on all the footy jocks who slag
us off for playing VGs and make them play Barbie's Horse Riding for the XBox (cos no monstrosity like that would
ever appear on the PS).
