Sony revealed that the PlayStation VR, the company's entry into the burgeoning virtual reality industry, will come with a demo disc upon its launch on Oct. 13.
The physical disc will include samples of eight titles for the platform, and could be Sony's way of making sure that gamers who receive their PlayStation VR systems on Oct. 13 will be able to enter virtual reality right away through the sample games.
The games included in the PlayStation VR demo disc are as follows:
- Driveclub VR by Evolution Studios, which is part of the flagship racing franchise for the PlayStation 4
- PlayStation VR Worlds by London Studio, offering five mini-games that show off the PlayStation VR's capabilities
- RIGS Mechanized Combat League by Guerrilla Games, where players take control of massive machines in fast-paced arena combat
- Tumble VR by Supermassive Games, a 3D version of the classic block stacking puzzle
- Battlezone by Rebellion, where players take control of tanks in a futuristic battlefield
- EVE: Valkyrie by CCP, one of the biggest launch games for the Oculus Rift that features intense space battles
- Wayward Sky by Uber Entertainment, which will have players explore a mysterious flying fortress in search of their father
- Headmaster by Frame Interactive, offering players a chance to hone their football skills
Launching the PlayStation VR with a demo disc evokes nostalgia, as the slow internet speeds in the past meant that game demos were bundled with new consoles and systems in physical discs as opposed to having players download them. The decision of Sony to include a physical demo disc could also be the company's way of avoiding an overload of its servers upon the launch of the PlayStation VR.
With a physical demo disc bundled with the platform, gamers can begin using the PlayStation VR right away, without having to trawl through an online catalog of titles or wait for any downloads to finish. Gamers will be able to experience a wide range of gameplay and environments with the variety of the demos included in the disc, allowing them to feel the possibilities that virtual reality opens up.
However, it should be noted that the information on the eight games reported to be included in the PlayStation VR demo disc was uploaded by the European version of Sony's PlayStation blog. This could mean that there will be a few changes in the line-up depending on the player's region.
While waiting for the PlayStation VR to arrive, gamers should already free up about 60 square feet of free space in their living rooms. According to a leaked PlayStation VR brochure, the system's recommended play area is 9.8 feet lengthwise by 6.2 feet crosswise.
