Menu Close

Would You Buy PlayStation VR Without Trying It First?

Ben-Dutka 94 Comments

Maybe this is an odd question but I feel I have to ask it.

I've been talking to a lot of people about PlayStation VR these days and many really do seem excited, or at least curious. That's understandable, given the technology and the true interactive revolution this could feasibly be.

However, this isn't like expecting better graphics. It's not like going into a new console launch and entering a enw generation, where we anticipate better detail and AI, more depth, improved gameplay refinement, etc. Even the 3D revolution (remember Mario 64 ?) can't really compare, as we're really talking about an entirely new form of interactive entertainment. We have no idea how we'll react to this, do we? Honestly?

Oddly enough, many of those I've asked say they'd buy PlayStation VR (or some other VR device they want) without trying it first. And I just find that crazy. I'm well aware of the deification of technology and the overriding belief that anything new is automatically improved and inherently better. I also understand the potential benefits of VR, with unparalleled immersion sitting at the top of the list. That being said, how we experience these games is very much up in the air, isn't it? Shouldn't you want to test it before plunking down a big wad of cash?

Sony is definitely going to have to have kiosks and displays set up in game stores, because the only way to convince prospective consumers is to allow them to experience this. I have a feeling that some who are convinced they'll love it will end up hating it, and perhaps vice versa. Given the almost completely alien nature of this tech – and when I say that, I'm simply saying it's almost entirely unknown – one would assume a customer would need to learn more about it.

But maybe today's gamer simply doesn't require this kind of assurance. I don't know.

Read more →

Will PlayStation VR Launch Titles Really Be Up To Snuff?

Ben-Dutka 28 Comments

Everyone is talking about PlayStation VR right now and rightfully so.

After Sony gave us the date and price of the anticipated virtual reality unit, you'd expect plenty of discussion and argument. But it seems like nobody is asking the only question that really matters:

How will the launch lineup fare?

Look, we have to consider PlayStation VR the same way we consider the release of any new gaming console, and we all know a new system is only as good as the games it currently has. We know Sony has been crowing about the 160 titles now in development for PlayStation VR, and perhaps more importantly, they say 50 will release this year. These aren't bad numbers at all but quality always matters more than quality (as the mounds of Wii shovelware proved during the latter days of that console's lifespan, when you couldn't give one away). And here comes the hard part: How do you market these games?

In order to really understand what they're like, you have to experience them in VR, right? Showing them in a trailer or something doesn't do much of anything; maybe the most effective marketing tactic will be to show us reactions of those playing the game in VR. The reason you're not seeing much in the way of VR game debate is because honestly, nobody really knows what these experiences will be like. I find it interesting that despite not having the slightest clue what to really expect, people are already foaming at the mouth, primed and ready to fork over their cash.

They have no idea what these games will be/feel like, or if they'll even enjoy the titles, which have to be extraordinarily different from standard games. And while nobody seems to think it'll be a problem, they also don't believe VR will have any sort of negative physical effect (like headaches and the like). The bottom line is that the games matter most and this is a huge sticking point for developers and publishers, because they really can't show us what these adventures are like. Our computer screens and YouTube just can't cut the mustard.

Hence, we're sort of left in the dark on this whole issue, which is almost absurd. Games are the only thing that matters. The experience is all that matters. Only then can we have any idea whether or not PlayStation VR (or Oculus Rift or HTC Vive) are worth the cost of admission. To me, when you look at preview trailers like the one below, they just look silly.