The future of sex? VR porn all the talk at Hong Kong’s Asia Adult Expo as filmmakers get excited over the immersive possibilities
Speakers point to VR’s potential to create completely immersive sexual experiences and more female-focused content, while companies work on accessories, from fully fledged sex dolls to VR-connected sex toys
The potential impact of VR, however, is even bigger, as it is far more than just a hi-tech way to view adult content. Promising absolute immersion, and potentially allowing people to inhabit bodies other than their own, VR has advocates in the adult industry enthusing over everything from more creative erotic material to increased sexual empathy.
Asia Adult Expo 2017: how Hong Kong is hub for China’s sex toy industry
Hong Kong is in fact already a hotspot for VR porn fans. According to figures released by pornographic website giant Pornhub, the city ranked third for VR searches globally in 2016 behind mainland China and Thailand – quite an achievement considering its population. Hong Kong, of course, has a high rate of consumer technology adoption, alongside a relatively conservative sexual culture. VR headsets are also flooding in from mainland China, where porn is illegal.
VR was in the spotlight at the recent Asia Adult Expo at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Although exhibitors at the trade show were overwhelmingly in the business of sex toys and dolls, the focus among speakers at the event, and in a panel discussion at the accompanying forum on “The Future of Ultimate Pleasure”, was entirely on VR.
For porn producers, VR offers a huge range of intriguing possibilities. “I’ve been shooting the same sort of stuff for 10 years,” says Michelle Flynn, owner of independent Australian production company Lightsouthern, at the expo. “When I first put on a [VR] headset, my mind was blown. This is so important for the adult industry. You can break the fourth wall and really get involved.”