Consumer virtual reality (VR) headsets (e.g. Oculus Go) have brought VR non-fiction (VRNF) within reach of at-home audiences. However, despite increase in VR hardware sales and enthusiasm for the platform among niche audiences at festivals, mainstream audience interest in VRNF is not yet proven. This is despite a growing body of critically acclaimed VRNF, some of which is freely available. In seeking to understand a lack of engagement with VRNF by mainstream audiences, we need to be aware of challenges relating to the discovery of content and bear in mind the cost, inaccessibility and known limitations of consumer VR technology. However, we also need to set these issues within the context of the wider relationships between technology, society and the media, which have influenced the uptake of new media technologies in the past. To address this work, this article provides accounts by members of the public of their responses to VRNF as experienced within their households. We present an empirical study – one of the first of its kind – exploring these questions through qualitative research facilitating diverse households to experience VRNF at home, over several months. We find considerable enthusiasm for VR as a platform for non-fiction, but we also find this enthusiasm tempered by ethical concerns relating to both the platform and the content, and a pervasive tension between the platform and the home setting. Reflecting on our findings, we suggest that VRNF currently fails to meet any ‘supervening social necessity’ (Winston, 1996, Technologies of Seeing: Photography, Cinematography and Television. British: BFI.) that would pave the way for widespread domestic uptake, and we reflect on future directions for VR in the home.

消费者虚拟现实（VR）耳机（例如Oculus Go）将VR非虚构类（VRNF）带到了家里听众。然而，尽管节日期间利基市场的观众增加了VR硬件的销售和对平台的热情，但主流观众对VRNF的兴趣尚未得到证实。尽管越来越受好评的VRNF数量不断增长，但其中有些是免费提供的。在试图了解主流受众对VRNF缺乏参与的过程中，我们需要意识到与内容发现有关的挑战，并牢记消费者VR技术的成本，不可访问性和已知限制。但是，我们还需要在技术，社会与媒体之间更广泛的关系的背景下提出这些问题，这在过去已经影响了对新媒体技术的采用。为了解决这项工作，本文提供了公众对家庭中对VRNF的回应的陈述。我们提供了一项实证研究，这是同类研究中的第一项。它通过定性研究探索了这些问题，以促进不同家庭在几个月内在家中体验VRNF。我们对VR作为非小说类的平台抱有极大的热情，但是我们也发现这种热情因与平台和内容相关的道德问题以及平台与家庭环境之间普遍的紧张关系而减弱。根据我们的发现，我们建议VRNF目前无法满足任何“超越社会需求”（Winston，1996，我们提供了一项实证研究，这是同类研究中的第一项。它通过定性研究探索了这些问题，以促进不同家庭在几个月内在家中体验VRNF。我们对VR作为非小说类的平台抱有极大的热情，但是我们也发现这种热情因与平台和内容相关的道德问题以及平台与家庭环境之间普遍的紧张关系而减弱。根据我们的发现，我们建议VRNF目前无法满足任何“超越社会需求”（Winston，1996，我们提供了一项实证研究，这是同类研究中的第一项。它通过定性研究探索了这些问题，以促进不同家庭在几个月内在家中体验VRNF。我们对VR作为非小说类的平台抱有极大的热情，但是我们也发现这种热情因与平台和内容相关的道德问题以及平台与家庭环境之间普遍的紧张关系而减弱。根据我们的发现，我们认为VRNF目前无法满足任何“超越社会的必要性”（Winston，1996，观看技术：摄影，摄影和电视。英国：BFI。）这将为广泛的家庭使用铺平道路，我们将反思家用VR的未来发展方向。