The latest breakthrough in virtual reality is turning ‘experiences’ into ‘real’ games

SAN FRANCISCO — After hearing it three times in three meetings, I started to notice that many of the developers working on Oculus Rift games are all using a new buzzword: progression. Or at least that’s a new word for a group of virtual reality developers that have long focused on quick experiences rather than long-form gameplay.

Oculus VR, the Facebook subsidiary that is preparing to launch the Rift head-mounted display in two weeks, held an event on Monday as part of the Game Developers Conference that brought together a couple dozen studios working in the space. As we approach the March 28 shipping date for the Rift, it is clear that developers want everyone to realize that they are building real games that are more than just tech demos. Nearly every studio I spoke with talked about how they have systems in place to give players a reason to play for long periods of time. These include ideas like leveling up your character, unlocking items over time, and score-chasing on leaderboards.