Ben-DutkaFirstly, let me say I agree completely with Sony's PlayStation VR goals .
From a PR standpoint, it's true that consumers can't see this as just another passing fad, and the software support absolutely has to be there. Sony says they've got over 100 titles in development now , so that's good.
But I wonder if PlayStation VR will really generate more interest in PlayStation 4. It seems Sony is banking on this virtual reality device to increase sales of the console in question, which isn't out of the realm of possibility but I do wonder: If you don't yet own a PS4, will this device really convince you to purchase the system? This is not for the casual market – at least, not out of the gate – so you're really only targeting hardcore gamers, I think. And most of them either already have a PS4 or they have good reasons why they don't.
And if a consumer is only interested in VR and is simply looking for the best platform to experience VR entertainment, are they really going for PS4? Sure, PlayStation VR might be a lot cheaper than Oculus Rift ($600), but then again, the latter is a higher-end device, right? Will the combination of lots of games and a more accessible price coerce the intrigued VR consumer to spring for PS4 and PlayStation VR? That's probably a minimum combined price of $800 with tax and everything, so it's not exactly "cheap."
And lastly, while Sony has gotten better in recent years, it remains a sad truth that they're just not that great about promotion. Their first-party titles still don't receive enough hype as far as I'm concerned. Considering all this, how much will PlayStation VR really bolster hardware sales of PS4? Again, I wonder…
Yes. Affordable in-home VR where people already have the console and don't need to monkey with PC and its bad games? I think it'll be beneficial.
For selling PS4s? It can push PS3 owners over the edge.
I want Golem, the Mech League, and maybe the Eve shooter!
Last edited by WorldEndsWithMe on 1/21/2016 11:22:01 AM
More interest for sure I say, but how much I don't know. The success and appeal of the VR itself is really the driving factor obviously. Had ps move been more successful, it would've drawn more ps3. Had Kinect been successful, it would've drawn more xbox. Now if this thing is going to sell big, then surely it will. In the end, it's all about marketing and success.
Personally just please release asap so I can play it with GT sport.
PSVR is going to have work flawlessly on games such as GT Sport. Why? Gran Turismo 6 has (based on numbers I have seen) outsold FM6, Project Cars, and Driveclub combined.
While GT6 sales were less then normal (compared to other titles in the series) GT Sport will be huge being how it's the first one the PS4.
Here's a huge difference between PSVR and all the rest of the offerings this generation – the TOTAL cost of ownership in dollars AND technical expertise.
All the other headsets are going to require a computer that's probably at least an $800 rig, to have the horsepower to run it. We've had almost a decade of people buying tablets and cheap laptops instead of high-end computers, so outside of the hardcore PC gamer community (who aren't part of this discussion, really, as they'll go where they go), nobody else owns a computer capable of playing the Rift or the HTC VR or any of the rest. So if you're looking at what to buy to try this out, you're talking $1,400 minimum, up to $2k, if you go anywhere else.
Then you've got to learn how to make your gaming PC work well, update all your video drivers (and keep them updated), and all that. It's not rocket science, but a lot of people will find it overwhelming.
Compare that to a $300 PS4 (I expect another price drop when PSVR hits), let's say $500 for the PSVR (including the camera and whatever else is needed, maybe a move controller), and it's still just an $800 rig – that's plug and play!
Seriously, you unbox it all, connect it, let it run its own updates, and you're DONE. Nobody else will be able to say that, and that's HUGE.
I expect the early adopters will be complaining of driver hell, constant fiddling with settings, hardware incompatibilities, forced upgrades…and PSVR users will install the latest system update and be off and running.