Sony Powers Up PlayStation VR

Sony has announced its entry into the Virtual Reality (VR) market with the launch of a PlayStation-branded headset.

Primarily designed for gaming use, the PlayStation VR will link to the company’s PS4 console to offer a richer and more immersive gaming experience for its users.

Sony is also looking to sell the headset at a much lower cost than other high-end VR devices, as the PlayStation VR will retail for £349 in the UK, significantly cheaper than the likes of the HTC Vive, which will cost £689.

And initial reports suggest that many online retailers have already sold out of PlayStation VR, with Amazon’s web page for the product saying it is currently out of stock.

Power on

This price cut does not mean that the PlayStation VR comes sporting inferior hardware, however, as Sony has equipped the device with highly competitive power.

The headset, which will weigh around 610g, will feature a 5.7in 1920×1080 OLED screen, or 960×1080 per eye, that supports refresh rates of 120Hz and 90Hz.

It will support a field of view of approximately 100 degrees, feature 360-degree tracking, and offer latency of less than 18 milliseconds, according to Sony, which added that more than 230 developers and publishers are already working on software titles for the product, from smaller independent teams to larger studios at the industry’s top publishers such as 2K Games and Ubisoft

Along with the headset, users will also receive the processor unit, a connection cable for the headset, an HDMI cable, a USB cable, stereo headphones, an AC adapter and a power cord. However it won’t come with either the PlayStation Move camera, which is required to use the headset, nor any PlayStation Move controllers, which are needed for some of the VR experiences. Users will also need a PS4 console to run the device.

Sony did not provide exact release date for the PlayStation VR, only saying that it will be available to buy in October, meaning it has failed to keep its initial promise of a launch sometime in the first half of 2016. However, keener customers are able to pre-order their device now, with GAME and Sony’s online store already open for business.

“That is a bit later than the timeframe we previously stated, and I want to thank everyone for their patience and continued support,” Sony CEO Andrew House wrote in a blog announcing the news.

“PlayStation VR represents a transformative experience in gaming, and we wanted to take the time needed to launch with a broad variety of content and a sufficient supply of hardware. We are beyond excited to deliver to consumers the amazing experience that PS VR offers.”

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