Today in 1994, Nintendo announced Virtual Boy, the first console capable of displaying stereoscopic "3D" graphics, the first “virtual reality” device produced for the mass market.
In its press release, Nintendo said that Virtual Boy's
unique design eliminates all external stimuli, totally immersing players into their own private universe with high-resolution red images against a deep black background. The 3-D experience is enhanced through stereophonic sound and a new specially designed, double-grip controller which accommodates multidirectional spatial movement. It will transport game players into a 'virtual utopia' with sights and sounds unlike anything they've every experienced -- all at the price of a current home video game system.
Introduced in 1995, Virtual Boy was a commercial failure, with many reviewers complaining of painful and frustrating physiological symptoms when using the console.