PlayStation VR release date, price, specs and games: PlayStation 4 Neo launch date revealed
Sony sends out invites for "PlayStation Meeting", assumed to be new console's reveal
PlayStation VR - previously known as Project Morpheus - is Sony’s answer to virtual reality devices such as the Oculus Rift.
As one of the industry leaders in the gaming space, the fact that it
wants to get in on the ground floor of the virtual reality revolution is
unsurprising, but PlayStation VR looks like it could be a very strong
start for Sony
Latest news
10/08/2016: Sony will be unveiling the PlayStation 4 Neo at a special event in September, according to reports.
Invitations have been sent out for a special event called
"PlayStation Meeting" on 7 September, at which the Japanese corporation
will share "details about the PlayStation Business". This, it has been
widely assumed, means the official launch of the company's updated
machine.
The new console - also known as the PlayStation 4.5 and the
PlayStation 4K - is a more powerful version of Sony's existing console
specially designed to support PlayStation VR, as well as running more
advanced games.
Much like Microsoft's Project Scorpio,
the PS4 Neo has upgraded internal hardware in order to support some of
users' most-requested features, including native 4K resolutions and a
consistent frame rate of 60fps.
This is partly why the PS4 Neo is being pushed as the best way to
experience PSVR; in order to avoid motion sickness, VR frame rates need
to be much higher than with ordinary games.
While the PS4 - which is now three years old - is technically capable
of powering Sony's virtual reality headset, the experience will likely
be much smoother on a more powerful machine.
The higher graphics requirements have also begun pushing companies
like Nvidia and AMD to launch high-powered, 'VR-ready' GPUs at
competitive prices.
14/07/2016: PlayStation VR games will support
traditional gamepads in addition to other types of controllers,
according to a statement Sony made to Eurogamer.
"All PlayStation VR titles will support DualShock 4 controllers," the
company said. "However some game experiences will be enhanced with the
use of peripherals such as Move or the recently announced Aim
controller.
"Images being show of PSVR packaging on some websites are early mock ups and not representative of the finished packaging."
The statement comes after retailers began to release images of what
the game box art for PlayStation VR might look like, indicating that
users will need a Playstation VR headset, Camera and set of PlayStation
VR Move controllers in order to play VR-exclusive titles.
Sony's comments indicate that this is not the case, and games will be
playable without shelling out for Move controllers, making the
experience slightly more affordable for many consumers.
11/07/2016: PlayStation VR games released in Europe
will be clearly labeled to let consumers know which hardware is
required, Sony has revealed.
Titles that only work with the PlayStation VR system will be
specially branded with a "PlayStation VR Required" banner, while those
that feature PSVR support as an optional extra will be labeled
"PlayStation VR Compatible".
PSVR exclusives will also feature clear labels on the box art
indicating which specific peripherals are needed, so users will know
whether they need just the headset and PlayStation Camera, or the
PlayStation Move controllers as well.
The branding in PAL territories will be slightly different to North
American releases, where titles will just feature a banner reading
"PlayStation VR Game", without distinguishing between partial and
exclusive support.
They will still feature the advisory labels regarding required hardware, however.
20/06/2016: Console players eagerly awaiting
PlayStation VR could be in for a longer wait, as Sony has warned there
could be shortages when it launches its headset later this year.
“We have growing confidence that we’ll be supply-constrained with
this product, but we'll do our very best to meet demand," Andrew House,
president and group CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment, told CNBC.com.
Component storages and pre-order delays quickly soured the launch of the Oculus Rift in April.
PlayStation VR is due to released on 13 October in the UK, for £349.99. That price is significantly lower than the Rift and HTC Vive. Although, the price does not include the PS4 console, which is required for use.
"We’re obviously very excited about the overall future potential for
virtual reality and we think it's the right opportunity to start to
build a market,” said House.
“But we need to keep reminding ourselves that you're requiring a very
different user engagement than we have seen previously… The experiences
we are delivering are truly transformative for gaming and that will
inspire a certain audience. How large that audience is remains to be
seen."
Before the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) last week, House revealed that an upgrade PS4, codenamed Neo, is in the works.
House did not say whether it would launch this year. But he did
acknowledge that the 40 million-strong PS4 user base, which continue to
grow, would not want to feel cheated by the arrival of a more powerful
system sooner after they’ve invested in the PS4.
He said: “With iterations like Neo we are, to some degree as an
industry, acknowledging the pace of iteration has shifted… People have
become attuned to a slightly different cadence of innovation. The
critical thing is to give the consumer options, rather than dictate the
future for them.”
14/06/2016: Sony’s much-awaited PlayStation VR
headset will launch on 13 October in the UK and the US, along with 50
VR-compatible games promised to be on sale by the end of the year.
Shawn Layden, president and CEO of PlayStation’s US operation, made
the announcement during the company’s E3 press conference in Los Angeles
on Tuesday.
The headset will be priced at £349.99 in the UK, and $399 in the US.
PlayStation VR (PS VR) arrives six months after Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, but has a number of advantages over its two main rivals.
Firstly, the PS VR headset is cheaper than both of its rivals – Oculus sells for roughly £410, the Vive for £849.
The Rift and Vive also require high-spec PCs in order to function
with even basic VR software. PlayStation VR just requires the PS4
console, and Move controller peripherals.
Finally, the added development time has enabled Sony to prepare a
much larger launch line-up than the headsets that are already on the
market, potentially helping the company to avoid pre-order shortages and
the software drought which has been an early criticism of the Oculus
and Vive.
Sony has promised that 50 VR-compatible titles will be on sale by the
end of 2016, and these will include full games built for VR, as well as
existing titles with specialised created VR scenarios.
Several new titles were announced for PlayStation VR at E3, including
space exploration game, Farpoint, action game, Batman: Arkham VR, space
combat game, Battlefront VR: X-Wing Mission and horror game, Resident
Evil 7.
These new games join GT Sport, Eve: Valkyrie, Driveclub and RIGs as
some of the first titles player will be able to get their hands on for
PS VR.
UK pre-orders for PlayStation VR have now opened, and can be found here.
In related news, Sony is already planning a more power console, currently known as PS4 Neo, to give itself an edge it is VR battle.
20/05/2016: GT Sport to launch in November with full PS VR support
Gran Turismo Sport, the next iteration of the long-running racing
series, will include full PlayStation VR support when it launches this
November, Sony has revealed.
The PS4 game will launch on 18 November in UK (15 November in the US
and Japan), and will be fully compatible with Sony’s forthcoming virtual
reality headset. All of the title's game modes will reportedly feature
VR support.
Game director and Polyphony Digital CEO, Kazunori Yamauchi, revealed
at an event in London new gameplay footage for the PS4 game,
highlighting its global competition structure that invites players to
represent a team or their home country.
For more information about Gran Turismo Sport including gameplay, launch details and a hands-on review,
