Immersive technologies, including augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality, are primed to explode in consumer popularity. These technologies have been 'on the brink' of breakthroughs to mainstream, yet haven't quite made the leap. The landscape is different, and immersive technologies are primed to explode beginning with this holiday season.

Emerging technologies are often lead by gaming. Whatever the platform or technology, gaming enables engaging experiences where players are able to explore the landscape without any immediate expectation beyond enjoyment. There's a willing investment of resources of both time and money, leading those early adopters to engage enough to improve the experience and grow the audience.

This process is already underway with immersive technologies. There are multiple VR headsets available from Oculus with glowing reviews priced well under that of most mobile devices. The new PS5 offers a VR headset and is already one of the most sought after items on resale market due to a lack of supply.

VR environments have never been easier to build tools like Unity, Roblox, and others. Likewise, AR technology is ready to explode with the growing availability of ARKit and ARCore.

This holiday season, VR headsets from Oculus, PS5, and other will introduce millions of homes to immersive technologies. The products are impressive enough to garner interest beyond gaming. With readily available tools for building new apps and environments, immersive tech is primed to take a big step forward.