The advent of virtual reality has given us the opportunity to immerse ourselves in everything from first-person shooters to David Attenborough documentaries. Now, The New York Times is inviting its subscribers – who number more than a million – to immerse themselves in journalism too.

Billed as the world’s first VR entertainment facility, Melbourne-based Zero Latency gives visitors a truly immersive experience for a small price. It provides an alternative, accessible way for people to experience the tech, but can it convince consumers that VR has a place in the mainstream?

2015 will see an avalanche of virtual reality devices appear in the mass market, with the likes of Sony, Google, Facebook and Microsoft targeting gamers across the globe. The technology may now be an attainable reality, but will it be used for anything beyond video games?

Virtual reality is on the rise, and two-thirds of consumers say they’re interested in ‘v-commerce’ – shopping through VR. The latest brand to adopt it as sales tool in brick-and-mortar stores is Tommy Hilfiger. But will the lure of a VR headset actually get people spending?