Quest for Immersion: From Gaming Addict to KobraVR Gunstocks — My Not-So-Short Story

A product designer’s gaming obsession — engineered into a VR gunstock built for adjustability, immersion and accuracy.

Hello, my name’s Simon and I am a gaming addict. Welcome to my new online store! This will be the first in a series of blogs about Kobra VR, virtual reality gunstocks and who we are.

If you’re a VR enthusiast, I guess you are here for the same reason as me, ie immersion, to make VR feel more realistic, to improve your gaming experience making it the most enjoyable and as fun as it can possibly be. For many years, I’ve been obsessed with gaming and the dream of VR. Even as a kid back in the 90’s, those huge goggles with small CRT screens in them; my mind was buzzing with ideas and concepts, although the technology was sadly not there. In more recent times, my new obsession has become slightly more niche, bringing the feel of a real weapon into the virtual world. Now, with the launch of this website, I'm really pleased to introduce you to my VR gunstocks - products that are the result of over a decade of dedication to the craft and a lifetime of my hobbies and profession converging. Saying introduce feels wrong, as It doesn’t really feel like an introduction. I’ve been here from the start and selling VR gunstocks for many years - but still, this is the beginning of sharing this part of the story.

Here's some background on me and why I believe my VR gunstocks stand out:

• I have been at the forefront of the virtual reality refresh since its very start, I owned the OG of modern VR headsets - the Oculus Rift DK1 in 2013. I was completely floored when I first tried the headset at the Rezzed 2013 expo and experienced a demo of Ether One. After, I was so ill due to VR motion sickness for the remainder of the night and struggled through the 2-hour drive home, still I was hooked – the hype was 100% real.I've watched this industry grow from just a few hard core enthusiasts into a multi-billon $ industry with millions of fans across the world. I have been a hands-on participant every step of the journey and will continue to be for as long as I can.

• I’m so proud to say I made the very first VR gunstock, a creation that my wife named the "n00btube", a play on words gamers will know as in game slang for rocket launchers. I showed this on Reddit as a PSA, it was just a little bit of fun and not meant to take off the way it did. Come to think of it this history means I have a crazy amount of experience developing VR gunstocks, so many ideas either binned entirely or refined to a product.

• I've been an avid gamer my entire life, I love first-person shooters, fast-paced, slow tactical, survival looter-shooters, honestly every type and variation there is. From Turrican on the Arari ST and GoldenEye on N64 back in the day, to present day Contractors: ExfilZone and Pavlov or slower-paced tactical shooters like Onward. Over this time, I came to the realisation that a great VR gunstock has to cope with so many different games, how the gun handling is implemented not to mention the variation in personal playstyles, this is why I firmly believe that there is no one-size fits all solution.

• I am also trained a product designer and mechanical engineer, some people have vocations; designing and making things is most definitely mine. This background helps ensure my products function, perform and just feel right; that they will not fall apart if you drop them. I don’t want to just sell any old junk I genuinely only want to sell things I would use and have fun with.

• I grew up in the UK countryside (Devon) and used to go out rough shooting on farmland and the local woods, so I have real-life experience with shotguns, bolt actions and rifles. In the past I have even owned several including my favourite S&W 15-22 with Dark Earth highlights. This ensures I have a realistic perspective on how a weapon should feel ie stable, balanced, and natural to aim – things I do my very best to bring to my VR designs. I also know what doesn’t need to carry over in to a VR stock for example you do not need to deal with extreme recoil.

Ok I guess I better tell you why my gunstocks are designed to give you a significant advantage and elevate your VR experience:

• I make products for an array of games, fast-paced action shooters like Contractors Showdown and Pavlov, intense tactical shooters, like the daddy of VR shooters Onward, to survival looter-shooters like ExfilZone and Ghosts of Tabor, plus everything and anything in between. Whatever your style, and preference I feel that I have something that is the right fit.

• My stocks are highly adjustable, this makes them work well with a comprehensive library of games and setups. This is particularly useful for titles that don't offer great calibration options, my designs allow you to tweak your gunstock for better accuracy and a more comfortable fit during long sessions.

• When I begin with a design, I always ask myself simple questions: Will it help me aim better? Will it feel stable and comfortable? And above all, will it actually be fun to use? I also personally prefer designs that are lightweight, this is in order to reduce fatigue during long gaming sessions so you can stay in the fight for that little bit longer.

• I currently make stocks for the most popular headsets on the market, including the Meta Quest 2, 3, 3s, and Pro controllers, as well as the Sony PSVR2 headsets.

Anyway that’s enough of my BS if you made it this far, thank you and if you didn’t…meh. I'm excited to provide you with a product that will not only improve your gameplay but will deepen your love for VR.

Good Hunting!

-Simon

P.S. Sorry, Sony — PS VR2 didn’t lend itself to a punny title this time 😁