The Oculus Rift and HTC Vive both launched earlier this year, and failed to make any headway whatsoever with the mainstream audience. It makes sense- the VR format has a lot of challenges ahead of it before it meets acceptance to begin with, and tethering extremely expensive headsets to high end gaming PCs probably didn’t help.
So if VR is to have a breakout moment, the PSVR is most likely going to be it. It is a relatively cheaper headset ($400 to the Vive’s $800), and it requires only a PS4 console (which more than 40 million families worldwide already own), instead of a high end gaming PC.
It should, therefore, come as no surprise that even developers believe the PSVR to lead the VR gaming market. Speaking to MCV UK, a variety of them noted the chances of success that the headset has, given its low cost of entry, and its simple, plug and play nature.
“We’re very bullish about PSVR. Sony has created a supremely comfortable headset and is launching it at a great price. The 40 million plus PS4 owners don’t require any additional hardware – just plug in the headset and camera and it just works. PSVR will sell extremely well,” said Patrick O’Luanaigh, CEO of nDreams.
“We expect PlayStation VR to be a market leader. We don’t know how big the market is or how big PSVR will be, but the sweet deal that Sony is giving to the players is amazing. For just half the price of the others you get everything. Developers will aim for PSVR standards, and then adapt games to PC if PSVR is the market leader,” noted Untold Games CEO Flavio Parenti.
Personally, I am inclined to agree with them- if high end VR (so VR beyond the kind that is being peddled with smartphones) has a future, PSVR represents its best bet. You can’t blame the developers for betting on it, then.
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