Sony Corp.'s PlayStation VR hit the stores on Thursday, capping 2016 as the year that many have called the dawn of virtual reality.

Rival manufacturers Facebook-owned Oculus and Taiwanese smartphone maker HTC launched high-end VR headsets this year, the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, respectively, but experts say the debut of the Sony's VR device has significance for the whole industry.

While consumer devices are naturally targeting gamers, the technology is likely to advance into other fields, including education, medicine and even virtual tourism.