I miss the big dumb tracking rings on VR controllers

I like virtual reality. I'm not nearly as much of an enthusiast as some, but the tech always fascinated me and I've been through a few pc headsets in my life.

The controllers were always an interesting point- it really took us a while to figure out how they oughta be shaped. Oculus kinda figured it out with the touch controllers back on the CV1, and it's been gradual refinement up to the Quest 3. Similarly, the vive wands were bulky and awkward, and the Index controllers threw all kinds of experimental controls in the mix, for us to sort of land on the same design language as the Quest 3 controllers with the upcoming Steam Frame.

But, both the Steam Frame and Quest 3 kind of lose something for me. For most of VRs history, controllers - at least, more mainstream controllers - have had some kind of big tracking ring. A large, protruding circle or curve covered in hidden infrared LEDs or sensors for the tracking system to keep track of. The Vive wands had their big donuts on top, the Touch and Quest controllers fiddled with ring placement, the Index controllers had a big curve over your knuckles, and the PSVR2 controllers are all over the place with their curves.

But, modern controllers are ditching that. LEDs are embedded in the actual control surfaces you interact with. The Quest Pro even went so far as to put cameras and mobile processors in each controller for per-controller SLAM tracking. Now, vr controllers are amorphous shapes, designed to fit into your hand.

And that's fine- these controllers work, and they're probably more ergonomic and easier to use for their new design sensibilities. But I can't help but feel like the big, curved shapes of earlier controllers had a certain aesthetic charm to them. It felt so distinct from other input devices, while still feeling like a unifying element between all of them, regardless of brand or platform.

I understand why it was ultimately binned - swinging around protruding plastic shapes is practically begging for them to clip against your walls. But I can't help but mourn the loss of such an iconic visual, just a bit.