Roto VR Explorer review: a head-turning solution to one of VR's biggest problems
If you're a hardcore VR gamer, the Roto VR Explorer will take your experience to the next level
🏆 Review Score: 3.5 out of 5
Pros
✅ 🎮 Makes VR gaming even more immersive
✅ 🫨 All but solves VR motion sickness
✅ 🔧 Easy to assemble
✅ 🥽 Compatible with Meta Quest headsets
✅ 📳 Rumble is surprisingly effective
✅ 💺 Can be used as a regular swivel chair
Cons
❌ 🏠 Impractical for most homes
❌ 🫥 Only one game is natively supported
❌ 🪑 Isn’t the most comfortable chair
❌ 👂 Loud in operation
The Shortcut Review
It's difficult not to admire the Roto VR Explorer. It's a nuclear option that addresses one of VR's biggest problems and, fundamentally, it works.
I tend to play VR games sitting down, as I've always been susceptible to motion sickness when moving around a virtual world. That unsettling lurch that occurs when your character comes to a complete stop, only to feel your body wanting to move forward is almost impossible to ignore. It doesn't take long until you start to feel nauseated, which promptly puts an end to your gaming session.
However, sitting down to play VR also has its downsides. VR is a far more active and immersive experience. It's not easy to become the Dark Knight in Batman Arkham: Shadow from a seated position. But that's where the Roto VR Explorer comes in.
By placing an electronic sensor that looks strikingly similar to a Pokéball on top of your head, you can swivel 360 degrees with surprising speed and accuracy. It's as simple as turning your head and works wonderfully. It fixes the disconnect between what your eyes see, your brain thinks, and your body feels in VR.
Roto VR Explorer specs 🛠️
Price: $799
Weight: 66 lbs
Being able to change direction quickly also means you no longer need the right analog stick. Repositioning yourself with the right stick has always felt like a legacy solution for VR and rather clunky, so it's liberating to go without it.
However, even though the Roto VR Explorer achieves its goal, it has its drawbacks. Accommodating a fairly sizable and heavy chair solely for virtual reality isn't practical for everyone, and its powerful motors and operational beeps make a considerable amount of noise, especially when using the faster turning speeds.
The Roto VR Explorer also isn't a very comfortable chair. As a six foot two, 217 pound man, it wasn't uncommon for me to experience back pain or numbness in my bottom after using the Roto VR Explorer. And with no arm rests, upper back support and a rather unforgiving seat, I can't imagine anyone using the Roto VR Explorer as a more traditional swivel chair.
There's a lot to admire about the Roto VR Explorer, then. But at $799, it's a luxury purchase aimed squarely at dedicated gamers who regularly don their VR headset. If you want to retain the benefits of playing standing up without the stomach-flipping sensations it can cause, the Roto VR Explorer is definitely worth considering.
A review unit was provided by Roto VR.
What I loved about the Roto VR Explorer ❤️
👉 All but solves VR motion sickness. The biggest strength of the Roto VR Explorer is how it all but eliminates any VR motion sickness. Unless you’re a seasoned vet when it comes to virtual reality, it’s easy for the mismatch between what your eyes see and what your body feels to make you sick. However, the Roto VR Explorer turns when you naturally or instinctively turn your head, which helps your brain connect the dots, and prevents any dizziness or nausea.
(Credit: Adam Vjestica/The Shortcut) 🤗 Makes VR gaming even more immersive. Most VR gamers will have probably sat in a spinning chair hoping to make a game feel more immersive. But not only is it tiring pushing yourself around, it’s even easier to forget to do it. The Roto VR Explorer feels natural after a few minutes, letting you turn on a dime without breaking your immersion. It also frees up a thumb, as you won’t need to keep making adjustments using the right analog stick.
The Roto VR Explorer feels natural after a few minutes, letting you turn on a dime without breaking your immersion.
🔧 Easy to assemble. It took around 45 minutes for me to assemble the Roto VR Explorer using the supplied instructions. The glossy manual was easy to read, and the steps and parts I needed were clearly marked. Further instructions were available online, but I found the entire build to be a painless process.
👍 Compatible with hundreds of games. The Roto VR Explorer is compatible with over 400 games from the Quest Store. It worked perfectly in recently released titles like Batman Arkham: Shadow and just as well with older games like Resident Evil 4.
I never felt like I was waiting for the chair to catch up, allowing me to quickly spin around at a moment’s notice.
🫨 Rumble is surprisingly effective. The Roto VR Explorer can deliver powerful rumble through the seat of the chair when you connect a pair of headphones. The rumble is based on a game’s audio as opposed to the action on screen, but I found it to be a pleasant, body-shaking addition when turned on.
💨 Fast and responsive turns. The Roto VR Explorer can turn at 21 revolutions per minute, ensuring smooth and responsive motion. I never felt like I was waiting for the chair to catch up, especially at the faster speeds, allowing me to quickly spin around at a moment’s notice.
🔋 Sensor charges wirelessly. The little sensor that sits atop of your head can be charged without a wire. Place the puck in the designated charging bay in the footwell, and a loud beep will indicate it’s charging wirelessly so it’s ready to go the next time you sit down to play.
🤷♂️ Can be used as a regular swivel chair. Though I wouldn’t recommend it, it’s handy that the Roto VR Explorer can function as a regular swivel chair. It’s unlikely anyone would use it for that purpose, but it’s nice to have the option, regardless.
What I disliked about the Roto VR Explorer 💔
🏡 Impractical for most homes. There’s no getting around the fact the Roto VR Explorer is a large chair with a big power brick. It’s not something that will fit into most homes easily, and you’ll want to have a dedicated play space in mind. I’ve had to keep it in my garage, for example.
👷♂️ Only one game is natively supported. As of writing, the Roto VR Explorer only natively supports one game: Dig VR. That’s a shame considering the investment you’re making, and suggests developers aren’t interested in supporting the chair. Thankfully, hundreds of games are compatible, but it would be nice to see more natively supported software.
You’re going to want to use headphones when using the Roto VR Explorer
🪑 It isn’t the most comfortable chair. The Roto VR Explorer isn’t the most comfortable place to plonk your derriere for long periods of time. Back support is limited, and there isn’t any real adjustability. It’s very much a function over form design and I often experienced a very numb bottom after a play session had ended. The sudden stops and starts during play also take their toll on your body.
🥽 Designed for Meta Quest. This VR chair works best with Meta’s headsets, but you may see it added to our Apple Vision Pro review eventually – support is “coming soon.” Unfortunately, PSVR 2 compatibility isn't feasible due to Sony’s long cable, which could get wrapped around the chair mid-game.
🦻 Loud in operation. You’re going to want to use headphones when using the Roto VR Explorer. On the higher speed settings in particular, the chair’s motors and sudden stops mid-turn make it too loud to drown out using the Meta Quest 3 or 3S’s built-in speakers. It’s also too loud to use with someone else in the room, as even the operational beeps are rather ear piercing.
😔 Bluetooth audio is finicky. Headphones are recommended when using the Roto VR Explorer, which is why it’s a shame Bluetooth support was rather spotty – at least in my experience. As noted in my Meta Quest 3S review, the headset isn’t great with wireless headphones as it is, and I wasn’t able to get a stable connection using a pair of Apple AirPods Pro 2.
Should you buy the Roto VR Explorer? 🤔
Yes, if…
✅ You’re a dedicated VR gamer who wants to take things to the next level
✅ You’re very susceptible to VR motion sickness
✅ You have a large play space that can accommodate the chair
No, if…
❌ You’re used to moving around in VR and don’t experience motion sickness
❌ You require a comfortable, ergonomic chair or have back issues
❌ Space is at a premium
Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.