Gaming enthusiasts are all psyched up for the launch of virtual reality headsets, and with Sony's announcement that the PlayStation VR will have more than 100 games, the excitement just keeps on rising.
During the recently held CES 2016, the three big developers of VR headsets namely Oculus, HTC and Sony were all present. The first two companies had more attention, with Oculus revealing Rift and HTC its Vive Pre.
Gamers are divided as each VR headset has its pros and cons. The Rift's $599 price tag is said to be cheap for the experience one will get, while Vive Pre boasts a new camera that lets users combine actual reality with virtual reality. As for Sony, gamers are excited about the VR headset's expectedly cheaper price. Now, they have a lot more to look forward to with the hundreds of games they can possibly play.
With Oculus and HTC seemingly having conquered the CES 2016, Sony was the one that got the interest of third-party developers.
"We have more than 200 developers signed up for the PlayStation VR program who are working on probably a hundred or more titles," said Sony President and CEO Kazuo Hirai. He added that this signifies the kind of support they have been receiving from the industry of content creators.
Sony wants the PlayStation VR to be an easy-to-use device so that it will appeal to a lot of consumers. The main goal is to create small bite-sized experiences that will be enjoyed by many. The Japanese company urges developers to promote their games as "simple" and "passive," instead of complicated with long narratives.
Back in September 2015, Sony executive Shuhei Yoshida said virtual reality is an ultimate weapon for game developers.
"I think it's going to be a hugely powerful weapon for game developers to create new and exciting experiences for consumers," he said.
Yoshida went on to say that even if virtual reality is a new technology and resources are minimal, people can still create worthwhile experiences if the idea is on point. He used the popular soccer game Headmaster as an example, describing that it was developed by a small, independent developer yet people still enjoyed it.
With all the promising features of the PlayStation VR headset, apart from those that are not revealed yet, people are expecting that it will retail at a high price. For one, Sony has confirmed that it will cost as much as a console. Reports estimate that Sony's VR headset will cost between $400 and $600, which is fair enough compared to the Rift's price tag.
One notable letdown is that PS4 does not have sufficient horsepower to sustain the PlayStation VR. Because of the console's outdated hardware, it has to obtain power from another source called Processing Unit (PU). PU separates video signals and increases power boost.
With all the excitement that virtual reality technology creates, Sony still wants its consumers to be well-informed about what they are buying. The company has revelealed that the PlayStation VR has a 120fps cap, 18ms refresh rates and an OLED display with a 1,920 X RGB X 1,080 resolution.
