PlayStation 4

Can Other Headphones Be Used with PlayStation VR?

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 24, 2016 | 0 comments

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The key to good VR is immersion, both visually and audibly. To that end, while you can use your current TV speakers, sound bar, or surround sound rig, Sony is also providing a pair of stereo headphones which you can see above (and this is everything you get inside the box). The idea is that these small, but directly-connected headphones will do a better job of transporting you to the world in front of you by tuning out some the surrounding sounds and instead let your ears focus on exactly what the developers want.

Of course that doesn’t mean Sony is providing the best headsets on the market which begs the question, can other headphones be used with PlayStation VR? The answer is both yes and sort-of-yes. More after the jump.

Standalone PlayStation VR Pre-orders to Go Live Next Week

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 23, 2016 | 0 comments

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Missed out on the PlayStation VR bundle pre-order? If so, you’ll be relieved to know that it wasn’t just you as pre-orders sold out within minutes. But for many of us who already owned a PlayStation Camera and Move controllers, the bundle, despite being a good deal, wasn’t all that attractive. Luckily, Sony, while initially not wanting to offer pre-orders on the standalone PlayStation VR package, now plans to give us just that. Here is John Koller, Vice President, PlayStation Brand Marketing, SCEA:

Thanks to everyone for sharing their feedback on PlayStation VR pre-orders! It’s clear that there’s a lot of interest from many of you to secure the PlayStation VR core system

So when do the standalone PlayStation VR pre-orders go live? That info is after the jump.

Can You Connect Two PlayStation VR Headsets to a PS4?

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 23, 2016 | 16 comments

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A lot of you have been asking me some great questions on Twitter and Facebook regarding PlayStation VR. The biggest of them is for multi-player gaming and whether you can connect two PlayStation VR headsets to a PS4. In short, the answer is no and that’s because of the raw power it takes to run VR games.

Sony has gone on record, indicating that they will reject games that run under 60fps for VR and, as it stands, developers at times have a hard time reaching that frame rate on normal, non-VR games. Add the extra complexity that is VR and trying to get PS4 to power two different headsets is simply out of the question. For that very same reason, even high-end rigs designed for Oculus Rift can only power one headset at a time. However, that doesn’t mean multi-player is out of the question. More after the jump.

PlayStation VR Bundle Sells Out in Minutes

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 22, 2016 | 0 comments

Chances are, like me, you didn’t score a PlayStation VR bundle when they went up for pre-order earlier this morning. That’s because the $499 bundle, which includes a handful of items that you can read about here, sold out on Amazon within minutes. Those visiting Amazon, no matter the country will likely be greeted with something similar to this:

We’re sorry. The item PlayStation VR Launch Bundle – PlayStation 4 is no longer available from the seller you selected. To see if it’s available from another seller, click here to return to the item’s product detail page.

It’s worth noting that pre-orders have yet to go live for the standalone PlayStation VR and there is no word yet on when those will be available. While a good sign, it’s unclear how many units Sony made available to Amazon so don’t take this, or other stories like Rift and Vive pre-orders selling out, as real indicators of where the path for VR lies. The true strength of VR won’t be determined in 2016 but in 2017 and truly 2018 when consumer awareness and content increases while pricing of hardware decreases. After all, when PlayStation Move and Kinect launched, they also sold out.

What You Get Inside the PlayStation VR Box

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 22, 2016 | 4 comments

Come October, you’ll have a chance to get your hands on virtual reality at a far more affordable price than other rigs which are starting to come to market. Besides the standalone core package, Sony is also planning to release a PlayStation VR bundle which you can read about here. So what exactly does $399 buy you come this fall? Let’s look at what’s inside the box after the jump.

PlayStation VR Bundle Is a Good Deal at $499

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 21, 2016 | 2 comments

Just a quick followup on the earlier reports about the PlayStation VR bundle. As PlayStation’s worldwide head of studios Shuhei Yoshida had confirmed during their GDC keynote:

There will be a bundle in the SCEA region [North America] with Move and a Camera

At the time, details of the bundle were unclear but Sony has officially announced its price and what’s included. Let’s talk details after the jump.

Poll: Will you purchase PlayStation VR at $399?

by Allegra Osati | Mar 19, 2016 | 9 comments

This past week at GDC 2016 we learned the price point and release month of PlayStation VR. Will you purchase PS VR for $399 this October? Let us know in our poll after the jump!

List of Countries to Receive PlayStation VR Confirmed

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 17, 2016 | 1 comment

Like in North America, PlayStation VR will launch in Europe come October. However, for those of you playing at home, you’ll note that there are just a few more countries there than here, thus making the rollout a bit more difficult and the information a bit more hard to find. Add other territories into the mix and the whole thing suddenly becomes a mess.

That’s why after the jump, you’ll be able to find pricing and a list of countries that will receive PlayStation VR.

PlayStation VR Bundle Details Revealed, Includes Camera & Move Controllers

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 16, 2016 | 0 comments

PlayStation VR is going to require more than just a PS4 to function. That’s because a big part of the tracking is done via PlayStation Camera, making the additional accessory a must have in order for PS VR to work properly. On top of that, depending on the game, you might also need PlayStation Move controllers to better navigate the world that’s come to life before you. Lucky for us, Sony plans on releasing a PlayStation VR bundle that will include both accessories.

According to a PlayStation rep and PlayStation’s worldwide head of studios Shuhei Yoshida:

There will be a bundle in the SCEA region [North America] with Move and a Camera

Having a bundle from Sony is a wise move. Seeing how PS VR is launching during the holiday season, Sony is likely banking on a lot of these showing up as a gift come Christmas and having a bundle would go a long way towards ensuring the recipient has everything they need. Otherwise, it could turn into the situation of getting that awesome remote control car with no batteries. I’ve been there and it’s not a lot of fun.

After the jump, why PS VR doesn’t come with a PlayStation Camera and pricing details.

PlayStation VR Priced at $399, Release Date Bumped to October

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 16, 2016 | 2 comments

At GDC, Sony unveiled the final iteration of PlayStation VR and a few more details like price and release date. Andrew House, PlayStation President and Global CEO:

With the annual Game Developers Conference in full swing, I’m pleased to give you an exciting update on PlayStation VR. Today, we are announcing that the PlayStation VR headset will launch in October of this year for a suggested retail price of USD $399 / CAD $549.

A lot more talk and further comments from House after the jump.

PS4 Beats Xbox One in U.S. (February 2016)

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 11, 2016 | 4 comments

Another month and another victory for Sony and their ever-chugging console. From Sony:

We would like to thank our fans and partners for making PlayStation 4 the top-selling hardware platform and the software sales leader in February, according to NPD. We continued to see strong year-over-year sales growth for PS4 hardware and software and are truly humbled by the support and enthusiasm from gamers. We will continue to deliver amazing gaming experiences with the upcoming launches of Ratchet & Clank, MLB The Show 16 and Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

I’m not sure what it takes to ‘drive’ console sales and get people off of an old system or rivals but if I was a betting man, I’d say it sure as hell doesn’t hurt that Uncharted 4 is coming and looking so mesmerizingly amazing. As you can tell, I’m not a fan. Also, for those playing at home, PS4 has beaten Xbox One 12 out of the last 14 months.

Sony Accidentally Reveals the Next Iteration of the PlayStation Store on PS4

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 9, 2016 | 1 comment

Once PlayStation 4 system update 3.5, codenamed Musashi, arrives, we can expect a great many additions and refinements on our favorite console. With the beta well underway as Sony looks to iron out any bugs prior to its release, the company seemingly by mistake also launched a new version of the PlayStation Store that was live ever so briefly on PS4. It’s unclear if this new iteration will come prior to Muasashi or with it – though it obviously doesn’t require that firmware to run.

After the jump, a few more screenshots and a bit more talk.

PS4 System Software 3.5 Musashi Details Revealed

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 8, 2016 | 0 comments

In the next month or so, PS4 system software 3.5, codenamed Musashi, will be released. With it, we can expect a host of new features like the ability to send event or party invitations to groups or communities. Alongside system enhancements and new features, Sony is bringing more accessibility support to the console which is always great to hear. Unsurprisingly, details are light on the latter and we don’t know all the details of the new firmware.

However, what we do know about PS4 system software 3.5 can be found after the jump.

‘Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End’ Delayed Again

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 1, 2016 | 0 comments

Sony has just announced that Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End has been delayed again. From Shawn Layden:

As you know, Naughty Dog is wrapping up production on Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End with the game on track to go gold and into production later this month. In an effort to meet the considerable worldwide demand, and to ensure that all gamers worldwide have the opportunity to play the game on day one, we have chosen to postpone the launch of the game by two weeks to allow for extra manufacturing time.

More details after the jump.

VR “Not Expected to Have a Big Impact” on Console Market

by Sohrab Osati | Feb 29, 2016 | 0 comments

For research firm DFC Intelligence, VR is still an unknown. Despite their bullish stance on PS4 reaching 100 million unit sales in its lifetime, the group is more conservative on their VR views.

Overall VR is not expected to have a big impact on the console market.

More from them after the jump.