On the bright side, Sony could be working to make PS3-era peripherals compatible with the PS5. Game Rant discovered a new patent for “Systems and methods for converting a legacy code into an updated code” filed on June 28th by Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC. Though highly technical, it features a diagram of the EyeToy, an older DualShock controller, the Sony Media Remote, and more.

Of course, this being a patent doesn’t mean that Sony is confirmed to be working on support for the same. For all we know, it could be patenting the various functions of these devices in anticipation of its rumored native PS3 emulation for PS5. Time will tell so we’ll need to stay tuned for more details.

Richard Marks, who has been with Sony since 1999, working at PlayStation Magic Labs, has created a lot of Sony’s more experimental hardware for them over the years. He created the EyeToy and the PlayStation Eye camera, he created PlayStation Move, and most recently, he created PlayStation VR.

And now, he seems to have moved on from Sony and PlayStation. GamesBeat reports that Marks has been hired by Google. Now, the interesting thing is, Google has been a major player in the burgeoning VR market- but this hiring may not necessarily have to do with that. Some time ago, we reported that Google is looking to get into the gaming market with their own platform- and it might be possible that Google brought Marks on board to help them launch this new initiative.

Google themselves have acknowledged the hiring, though they carefully avoid mentioning gaming anywhere in their statement- whether this is because he actually has come on board to help them with non-gaming initiatives, or because they want to keep their gaming aspirations mum for now, is anyone’s guess.

Google said, “ATAP is at the intersection of science and application where our goal is to solve significant problems and close the gap between what if and what is. We’re super excited about Richard joining the senior team and look forward to his contributions.”

One thing is clear, Google’s gaming aspirations will definitely be an interesting thing to keep an eye on in the coming months and years.

Despite PlayStation VR being almost one year old, Sony will be releasing a new version of the headset with almost no fanfare.

The new model (CUH-ZVR2) features a more “streamlined” connection cable and an audio headset that’s directly built into the device courtesy of earbuds. However, the biggest change with the new model is support for high dynamic range lighting or HDR.

This is due to a new processing unit that can’t be purchased separately and connected to the older model. But as the name indicates, it allows users to experience PS4 games with HDR without needing to plug the headset into the TV.

Games will continue to work on both versions of the headset but there are enough new features in this new model to warrant a look from potential consumers. It will have new box art and the new model number displayed on shelves so don’t worry about telling the difference from older models.

The new PlayStation VR will be out on October 14th in Japan as per PlayStation Japan and it seems that new PlayStation Move controllers with micro USB ports are also inbound.

PlayStation VR appears to have a bigger plan. Although, both those devices also had a plan and look how they turned up – as mere accessories for use with the headset. I digress though.

"More than the price point for PlayStation VR and more than the overall install base of the PlayStation 4 who will pick it up, one’s concern lays firmly on the games."

The PlayStation VR is going to be a success – that’s pretty much a given at this point. The VR medium is intriguing at this point because of the enthusiasm towards Rift and Vive. Both devices have their advantages and disadvantages but they have their followers. They have their games as well…right?

More than the price point for PlayStation VR and more than the overall install base of the PlayStation 4 who will pick it up, one’s concern lays firmly on the games. You could make the argument that many VR titles releasing on PlayStation VR will also be heading to Rift and Vive, and we’d agree. And the issue doesn’t become, “Why pick up a PlayStation VR when you can get those games on other devices right now?”

That’s because there will be plenty of people on PS4 who don’t want to upgrade their computer and then drop several hundreds of dollars more on a VR headset. Whether it knows it or not, Sony is in the right place, at the right time yet again with an affordable solution for its huge install base. Granted, firms like Strategy Analytics estimate that cheap mobile VR devices will make up 90 percent of total units sold this year. But no one really accounted for the PlayStation 4 becoming so successful, so quickly.

"It’s the spacing between these killer apps that’s worrying. VR as a medium isn’t one that seems capable of supporting 20+ hour experiences."

When you look back at the success of the PlayStation 4, it’s hard not to notice a pattern. In the past year or more, there haven’t been a ton of exclusives for the console. Now, we’re not going to pretend that games like Bloodborne, Until Dawn and Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection (despite being a remaster collection, it’s still great) don’t exist. They’ve been amazing and provided countless hours of fun for PS4 fans. However, there weren’t exactly a heaping helping of killer apps in that space. We’re not even pointing at the number of games Microsoft released in the interim. And in fact, there will be more exclusives with Ratchet and Clank out this month and Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End coming next month.

It’s the spacing between these killer apps that’s worrying. VR as a medium isn’t one that seems capable of supporting 20+ hour experiences. Sooner or later, the novelty of exploring wide open spaces in first person will wear off. Story-telling, game design and unique gameplay will once again become the hook. Yes, everything looks unique but what about a year or two from now? Motion controller gaming looked like the future but now pretty much everyone has abandoned it in the current generation.

This especially makes skepticism for PlayStation VR and Sony high because of its inconsistency, from releasing exclusive titles to pushing its new technologies. It may be hyping up Rez Infinite, Star Wars Battlefront and whatnot for the headset but what after that? It’s not even an issue which a simple E3 presentation could fix. Rather, it’s about Sony keeping constant communication with its audience and telling them what’s next. Much like what it does with the PlayStation 4. This all sounds like common sense but again, it is Sony and it has had issues with accessories in the past.

"Regardless, it’ll be worth tuning into E3 2016 to see what Sony has planned for the immediate future. Its plan may not turn heads but if it sets a solid foundation for PlayStation VR’s future, that will be enough."

Don’t worry, the apocalypse isn’t night for VR headsets or for Sony’s PlayStation VR. Unlike with the Move or Eye, the PlayStation VR will be a success before its even launched. If it does indeed follow the PS4’s momentum, it could see several millions of units within its first quarter. It’s just that when you combine Sony’s tendency to release its exclusives after large gaps with its start-stop approach with past trends, you have to wonder if either of those will bode well for PlayStation VR in the long-run. What happens if the medium itself takes a down-turn? There are numerous possibilities.

Regardless, it’ll be worth tuning into E3 2016 to see what Sony has planned for the immediate future. Its plan may not turn heads but if it sets a solid foundation for PlayStation VR’s future, that will be enough. Sony hasn’t thrived for this long in the console war without knowing what it’s doing and it obviously has a plan of sorts if it’s investing this much into VR. Heck, the PlayStation VR may be its most expensive “accessory” till date, bordering on a brand new platform. Even with its less than ideal reputation allowing for skepticism, there’s still a hope that things will turn out differently.

The preorders for the PlayStation VR just officially went live on Tuesday and by all accounts, sales were brisk. Amazon and Walmart were said to have sold out in a matter of minutes and while there were some other stores that had a few available for purchase hours after the launch, it’s a safe bet those won’t last long. According to GAME CEO Martyn Gibbs those who weren’t in the front of the line for the device are probably not going to be able to get VR device anytime soon.

In fact, according to Videogamer.com he said there’s very little chance there will be a ton of devices available on the actual launch date, let alone the preorder date. Gibbs said that there won’t be the same number of VR devices available as there were for the Xbox Ones and PS4s.

“We are very well adverse to dealing with products in high demand and low stock, and we would assume that virtual reality will fall into that category,” he said. “So I don’t think you should assume that there will be millions of units available from day one, and if you want one I would get one quick, because we’re seeing some trajectory of stock input into the market will be as fast as they can be manufactured. But you’re not going to see a build like Xbox One and PS4. There just won’t be the stock available.” The Oculus Rift is the first of the VR devices to launch. The HTC Vive will follow shortly after and the PlayStation VR will launch in October. We’ll be able to see just how accurate Gibbs is over the next few months.

We all knew the PlayStation VR Launch Bundle was going to be quite popular when preorders opened for it on Tuesday morning. It’s still an impressive sight to see when Amazon manages to sell out in a matter of minutes. The bundle, which includes the PlayStation VR device, as well as the PlayStation Move controllers and the PlayStation Camera and the PSVR game PlayStation Worlds all came with the reasonable price of about $399.

That price and all the things that come packed in that bundle were enough to get people plenty excited. Amazon isn’t the only retailer that saw the preorders for this Virtual Reality setup sell out before the end of the first hour they went live. Walmart also opened up the ability to buy the bundles they won’t be able to get their hands on until October on Tuesday morning. The amount of bundles they had isn’t any more known than what Amazon had available but they also sold out inside of an hour.

Interestingly enough, the bundle was still available as of midnight on Tuesday night at both Best Buy and GameStop. Either those looking to purchase the device didn’t think of going to those outlets, or they have quite a much larger order in place. Now that the bundle for the PlayStation VR has officially been released for preorder, it will be just a week until you can buy the device as a stand alone. That version of the PlayStation VR will go live on March 29, 2016.

Update: Sony has confirmed that PlayStation VR core ($399.99 MSRP) will be available for pre-order on March 29 at 7:00 a.m. PT

Original Story:

The pre-orders for the Sony PlayStation VR officially goes live at 7 AM PT on March 22 in the United States, though there is a bit of a catch. Those who already have the PlayStation Camera and the Move controllers  may want to hold on as Sony will most likely reveal details on how you can pre-order the standalone VR headset. At this point, the only thing that is going on preorder is the entire bundle which comes with everything you need.

However according to Skewed and Reviewed, the stand-alone SKU will indeed be available for pre-order on March 29. However, considering this information is coming from an Amazon support executive, we have to take this report with a grain of salt.

If true this is an interesting strategy by Sony. This will sky-rocket the PlayStation VR bundle SKU as that is the actual complete VR package and the first opportunity for people to pre-order the device. We will keep you updated when we hear from Sony on this matter.

While most of the world found out when it would be able to start pre-ordering the Sony PlayStation Virtual Reality device, it turns out India is going to have to wait a bit longer than most. Last week, Sony announced that the PlayStation VR is going to be available all over the world starting in October and it will retail at $399. There is also going to be a bundle which will carry a price tag of $499.

This bundle is actually a pretty decent deal, considering it comes with the headset and the PlayStation Move, camera as well as a free game. With that price tag and the games that will launch for the PlayStation VR bundle it’s not a real surprise that people all over the world are lining up for pre-orders already. The pre-orders in places like United Kingdom have already begun but according to a report by Gadgets 360, there are no plans to start bookings anytime soon in India.

“Currently we do not have plans of conducting pre-orders till confirmed date of VR India launch is available,” a spokesperson for Sony India explained to Gadgets 360 over email. In the past, the PS4 and Xbox One both launched in India several months after they were already available in other parts of the world. So this is not to say that the device won’t ever launch in India. Hopefully, gamers will be able to get their hands on the headset sometime next year.

As Sony promised, there is going to be a PlayStation VR bundle that will come with the PlayStation Camera (required to run the headset), PlayStation Move controllers (not required, but pretty essential to have the best VR experience), and a pack in game. The bundle will set you back by $499 (or a staggering,and frankly nonsensical $699 in Canada), and will come with everything the standard PlayStation VR package comes with, in addition to the camera and controller.

The bundle is “exclusively for pre-sale and in limited quantities,” meaning that if you don’t get it now, you may never get the chance to get it later- although Sony are promising that they will have another wave of orders for this in the Summer.

This will also be the only variant of the PlayStation VR available for pre-order in North American territories- if you wanted to just get the cheaper, $399 SKU, because maybe you already have a camera or the PS Move controllers, then you’re going to have to wait until the headset actually launches in October this year.

Sony’s PlayStation VR may be extremely cheap – it is currently the cheapest VR solution on the market – but that seems to come with some sacrifices made. You see, while the PlayStation VR requires the PlayStation Camera for the PlayStation 4, and definitely benefits from the PlayStation Move motion controllers, neither of these are included with the package out of the box (though Sony has confirmed that it will have one such bundle available).

This has led to a surge in sales for the PS4 Camera and PlayStation Move controllers- sales of the Camera are up by nearly 1000% on Amazon, with the Camera jumping to the #20 place on the charts. PS Move, meanwhile, has seen a smaller jump of 305%.

Of course, without knowing exactly how much these accessories were selling before, this is a meaningless statistic, but it sounds like Sony genuinely has quite a few people looking forward to the PlayStation VR.