Sony will start selling the PlayStation VR headset in October in the US and Europe. It will cost $399 / €399 but on top of that you will also need to buy a camera for $60. 50 games will be available in VR before the end of the year.
PlayStation VR coming in October
Sony will launch its first virtual reality headset later this year. PlayStation VR is meant as an accessory for the PlayStation 4 console but at $399 it is even more expensive than the console itself. Still, it is significantly cheaper than the competition ($599-$799).
If you have yet to try virtual reality think of it as something entirely new. It is nothing like the 3D effect that you have tried on TVs. It is an immersive experience that allows you to look around in a virtual world. At times it feels almost as being there. VR has lost of use cases but Sony is obviously approaching the new trend from a gaming angle.
The PlayStation VR will use a 5.7” OLED display with 1920x1080 pixels (960x1080 per eye). Unlike the more expensive Oculus Rift and HTC Vive headsets, Sony will use RGB pixels, which could mean that the screen actually has a higher effective resolution than the other two. On the other hand, PS4 will not be able to deliver the same graphics performance as a PC.
Sony says that the screen will update at 120 Hz or 90 Hz, depending on the game with lag “less than 18 ms” and “approximately 100 degrees” field of view. It incorporates sensors for 360 degree tracking and with the help of an external camera it can also determine your head’s location in the space.
50 games before year’s end
Sony promised that 50 games will be available in VR before the end of the year, adding that “more than 230 developers are building content for PlayStation VR”.
Most of the titles are unknown but Sony did say that Star Wars: Battlefront will be exclusively available for PlayStation VR. Six games will be included with the purchase.
Other games that have been confirmed to launch before the end of the year are Eagle Flight (Ubisoft), EVE: Valkyrie (CCP Games), Headmaster (Frame Interactive), Rez Infinite (Enhance Games), Wayward Sky (Uber Entertainment), RIGS: Mechanized Combat League, Tumble VR, Until Dawn: Rush of Blood and VR Worlds (SCE WWS).
Sony’s headset looks largely unchanged from the “Project Morpheus” prototype that the company unveiled almost two years ago. We have already tried the prototype on a few occasions and here is our hands-on report.
The company confirmed that you will be able to play any PlayStation game inside VR on a flat canvas with a black background dubbed the “Cinematic mode”. The same is true for movies. 360 degree videos and photos are also supported. However, to experience real VR you obviously need a game designed for VR.
Bundles with the camera and Move controllers will also be available.
PlayStation VR will be available in October for $399 / €399. Games can be played with either the standard PlayStation controller or the Move controllers.
Specifications
Product name: PlayStation VR Product code: CUH-ZVR1 series
External dimensions: VR headset: Approx. 187×185×277 mm (width × height × length, excludes largest projection, headband at the shortest) Processor unit: Approx. 143×36×143 mm (width × height × length, excludes largest projection)
