We call “Sigure” a VR piano game, but strictly speaking, it’s not VR—it’s actually an “MR” piano game!
Since there are several confusing terms like VR, AR, MR, and XR, let’s summarize the four types below.
Differences Between VR, AR, MR, and XR
VR (Virtual Reality)
Example: Immersive games like Resident Evil
Everything you see is virtual, with no connection to the real world.
AR (Augmented Reality)
Example: Pokémon GO
Augments real-world scenery by adding digital information on top of it.
MR (Mixed Reality)
Example: Surgical training apps, “Sigure” piano game
Expands on AR by blending the real world with virtual elements in an interactive way.
XR (Extended Reality)
An umbrella term that includes VR, MR, and AR.
Sigure is an MR Piano Game, But…
Most people might not immediately recognize the term “MR,” so for now, we’ll continue calling “Sigure” a “VR piano game.”
(Since it does use VR goggles, after all…)
Maybe in five years, we’ll quietly change the name to “MR piano game”!
Conclusion
The progress in XR technology is truly impressive.
Thanks to these advancements, piano games like “Sigure” are now possible. Beyond gaming, XR technology is also used for job training, surgery practice, sports training, disaster simulations, and more—allowing people to safely experience scenarios that would otherwise be dangerous.
Additionally, haptic gloves are being developed to recreate the sensation of touching objects!
The future of the XR industry looks exciting!