China's Virtual Reality Arcades Bring VR To The Masses

BEIJING, CHINA - NOVEMBER 26: A Chinese boy watches his dad as he wears virtual reality glasses (VR) while playing a game at the Leke VR Park on November 26, 2016 in Beijing, China. While virtual reality is still seen as a niche technology in many Western countries, VR is flourishing in China as a form of mainstream entertainment. Hundreds of VR arcades, kiosks, cafes, and "experience rooms" are springing up in cities across the country, and offer a VR experience for about the price of a movie ticket. Chinese companies are investing heavily, and some offer VR headsets for as little as US$20 to make VR accessible to the masses. Analysts expect the virtual reality industry in China to boom to US$8.5 billion by 2020, a high-tech surge supported by the government as it seeks ways to diversify the economy away from heavy manufacturing. Chinese president Xi Jinping cited China's development of virtual reality as establishing an "innovative the world economy" during his keynote speech to world leaders at the G20 Summit in September 2016. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)