The DeanBeat: At the Upload Collective, investors and entrepreneurs gather to evangelize VR

I’ve been hanging out a bit at the Upload Collective, a new virtual reality incubator started by the founders of UploadVR, to soak in the enthusiasm that Silicon Valley has for VR. During the Game Developers Conference last week, I attended the Upload Collective’s coming out party, which transformed the place into a fancy nightclub with cool arcade-like VR stations. And last night, I went to an event where normally sane investors went crazy and talked about how they’re investing on faith in VR and augmented reality. The investor event, with wine served by beautiful models, was just about as packed as the party with free booze.

I have heard people talk about how they believe in VR, and this is the basis for their enthusiasm and their bets. We’re at the dawn of the VR age, and a lot of people are going nuts about it. From the safety of the sidelines, I’m convinced I’m about to see a lot of people I know get filthy rich. But I’ll probably see an even larger number of believers go bust, as the odds in these Hunger Games are ever not in their favor. It’s like we’re setting up the stories of the future right now. A few years from now, I’ll cry because I didn’t jump into the VR fray myself. But I’ll be able to say ‘I told you so’ to all those who go bust.