Virtual reality is hoping to become the next big thing in gaming and 2016 is looking to be splashdown for immersive tech to hit mass market. With Oculus Rift and HTC Vive making touchdown the same year, it’s interesting that Sony continues to be a bit cagey about their PlayStation VR (formerly Project Morpheus). Details such as price and a full lineup of compatible game options remains vague.
PlayStation VR has itself stationed to probably be the easiest of the three main options given its compatibility with the existing PlayStation 4 and taking into account Sony’s sales projections for 16.5 million units for the rest of the year. They may be able to leverage that audience more effectively than their competitors. However, despite that leg up, the lack of a price tag for something arriving within the next year or so is both something people want to know and something the industry seems hesitant to provide, probably in an effort to avoid sticker shock push back this far out from the launch.
That said, Sony’s Andrew House did go on record recently explaining that PlayStation VR will be priced like a platform versus an accessory. That’s something that on the surface seems like it could be a little long armed, but when you consider that high quality peripherals like Astro gaming headsets can actually surpass the cost of the system they’re being used on, then a hefty price tag for a VR rig isn’t nearly so surprising.
PlayStation VR is set to arrive in 2016 with a 10 game lineup at launch.