PLAYSTATION GOES VR

Is it time to get excited about VR all over again?

VR HAS BEEN BILLED as the next big thing for so long, that it’s hard to get excited about the latest release. However, PlayStation VR could be the tipping point. The basic bundle costs $399, and is just a headset and cables. The $499 Launch Bundles add a PlayStation Camera, two Move Motion Controllers, and a copy of VRWorlds. You’ll need the camera to run VR, and the controllers to make proper use of it. Add a PS4 and a DualShock 4 controller, and you’re away. It runs at 920x1080, at either 90 or 120Hz, depending on the game. Latency is an adequate 18ms. Plus, other players can join in, using a regular controller on the main screen.

It’s easy to set up, comfortable, and delivers a pretty decent VR experience. Support should run to 50 games by the end of the year, including examples from franchises such as Batman, Resident Evil, Star Wars, Call of Duty, and Star Trek. Downsides? You look like a demented Cylon. More practically, the motion tracking is occasionally imperfect, due to the single camera. You can’t run around the room, or it loses track. There are also issues with light bleeding into the headset. It’s not cheap, but compared to a high-end PC rig, it’s affordable, and offers a true VR experience, compared to strapping a phone to your head.

What VR needs is some top titles. And that means volume sales. PC kit such as Oculus Rift and HTC Vive may have the edge in terms of performance, but haven’t generated the big-number sales. If PlayStation VR can break into the mass-market, we will see serious game development budgets funneled into VR games, which will benefit everybody.