X

VR smells aren't just for porn, they're coming to games too

A Japanese company will this year release VAQSO VR, a small cartridge that clips onto a VR headset and breathes scents to compliment the VR world you're in.

Adam Bolton
Adam Bolton is a contributor for CNET based in Japan. He is, among things, a volunteer, a gamer, a technophile and a beard grower. He can be found haunting many of Tokyo's hotspots and cafes.
Adam Bolton
2017-01-17-13-25-57.png
VAQSO

VR has the visual immersion down, and now developers are looking to tackle smell. Let's just hope the tech doesn't stink.

The latest device is VAQSO VR, a small odor-emitting device that attaches magnetically to the underside of almost any VR headset, including the Oculus Rift or HTC Vive. It uses fragrances contained in swappable cartridges to take your nose on a journey.

Unfortunately for VAQSO, it has some competition. Fortunately, much of that competition is way grosser. The tongue-in-cheek Nosulus Rift was created by the mad-geniuses behind South Park to provide the stench of farts, and the OhRoma by CamSoda recreates 30 different "sexy smells" for your VR porn viewing.

The VAQSO VR hopes to provide more to general VR-immersion to than one particular niche. It'll provide odors such as gun smoke in first person shooters and the smells of nature in fantasy games.

The VAQSO VR is still in development, but the product is planned to be released sometime this year, Japanese media reports, with the final build being able to load 5-10 different scents.

But for those of you that really need to know: Yes, the company is also going to be releasing a "feminine scent." Gotta keep those bases covered.

Batteries Not Included: The CNET team shares experiences that remind us why tech stuff is cool.

Special Reports: All of CNET's most in-depth features in one easy spot.