Amazon UK ran out of PlayStation VR headsets soon after it listed the devices for pre-order, showing that 2016 will be indeed the year 0 for virtual reality.
The vendor put a cap of one unit per buyer, claiming "limited stock," but the lightning fast purchases emptied the wares nonetheless.
Amazon UK keeps receiving pre-orders, in spite of the fact that Sony's headset is listed as "currently unavailable." The company points out that fans who pre-ordered the PlayStation VR headsets after 11:45 AM GMTon March 16, 2016, will have to wait until after the official launch to receive their products.
Experts from the marketing world previously warned that getting a PlayStation 4-powered VR headgear might be more difficult than expected due to irregularities in the supply line.
Game, a British retailer, is currently taking pre-orders for PlayStation VR in two possible configurations. The first will only get you the headset, while the second packs the headgear and the PlayStation Camera. The Camera is normally sold separately, although it is mandatory to have one if you want your PS4 to work with your VR headset.
Rumors about the pricing and contents of the PlayStation VR pack surfaced last month, and official data partially confirm them.
The standard package contains a tethered headset, a bunch of cables and a convertor box that transforms images from the PlayStation 4 into VR headgear compatible visuals.
For those who want the full VR experience, a pair of controllers is necessary. Sony did not include them in the VR headset main pack, but customers can get a pair of PlayStation Move wireless wands for about $50. PlayStation 4's gamepad will suffice for a number of titles, but it is recommended to have a full grasp on the device if you choose to enjoy one in your own living room.
Sony announced that it will officially launch the PlayStation VR during October. The price tags are, as follows: €399 in Europe ($451), £349 in the UK ($499), $549.95 in Australia ($420), ¥44,980 in Japan ($404) and $400 in North America.
It should be mentioned that Sony's rivals are at an advantage when it comes to release dates. Oculus will roll out the Rift VR headset on March 28, while HTC will push out the Vive VR headset on April 5. After initial promises of outing the PlayStation VR in the first half of 2016, Sony's delay until October could take its toll on overall sales.
It may be true that both Oculus and HTC scheduled their releases better than Sony, but the latter wins when it comes to pricing.
In comparison with PlayStation VR's hardware, HTC is very expensive, as it asks users to shell out $799 (£689 and $899 in Australia) for the Vive headset. Oculus comes in second place with the Rift costing $599 (£499, AU$649). These prices will get you the VR headset, but not the powerful gaming PCs to run the virtual reality apps on, mind you.
Sony will bill you $399 for the VR headset and an additional $350 for the PlayStation 4 console that can put the company's virtual reality work to good use. Sony boasts that as many as 230 developers are working on content for its PlayStation VR.
"Virtual reality represents a new frontier for gaming," says Sony Computer Entertainment President and CEO Andrew House.
Are you ready for the big VR push?
