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Sony exec says that PlayStation VR support may come to PCs

by Mark Tyson on 29 March 2016, 10:31

Tags: Sony Computers Entertainment Europe (NYSE:SNE), Sony (NYSE:SNE)

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There have been a couple of interesting developments from the Sony computer entertainment camp over the bank holidays. First of all Sony Computer Entertainment senior vice president Masayasu Ito was interviewed by the Nikkei and revealed that the company is "considering plans" to make the PlayStation VR compatible with PCs. Secondly the WSJ put its weight behind the circulating rumours of an updated 'PlayStation 4.5' console launch.

PC PS VR

Sony's PlayStation VR price point of $399 / £349 is a significant amount less than the PC-only rival HMD systems, the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. The pricing news has made a lot of PC users look sideways at the PS4/PSVR kit. Even though Sony recently admitted that "Oculus may have better VR," there are reports of many really enjoying the PSVR experience with its "amazingly smooth visuals," and "super low latency".

With Sony hoping to sell in volume to the mass market, it is now considering readying its HMD to be compatible with PC users. The PlayStation platform is based on a similar architecture to PCs now, so it shouldn't be such a big stretch to make the software to enable the PSVR's use on PCs. However, buyers on the PC platform would probably also have to purchase some other Sony peripherals to get up and running, such as motion controllers and the PlayStation Camera, so these costs must also be considered.

PS 4.5

There were rumours circulating last week of a new more powerful PlayStation 4 in the making. This PS 4.5 would be purposed to bring PS4 fun to users of VR headsets and 4K TVs, reasoned the murmurings. Now the considerable weight of the Wall Street Journal has come forth to back the rumours with its very own 'people familiar with the matter'.

The PS 4.5 wouldn't replace the current PS4, explained the insiders. Rather it would just be produced "to handle those particular higher end game experiences, including virtual reality," wrote the WSJ. Meanwhile games would continue to come out to run on the old PS4 and enhanced for the new system. The 36 million 'PS4.0' consoles wouldn't become redundant with the release of the new console.

Sony's move would mark a shift from the 6-year console refresh cycle noted the WSJ. It is thought that Microsoft could follow suit, with a 4K/VR upgrade, as it is "committed to console innovation."



HEXUS Forums :: 12 Comments

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It'll be pretty explosive if the PS 4.5 rumour is true. It could well alienate the roughly 40 million PS4 owners there are currently. This also could actually give Microsoft the green light they need to shift from trying to make the current XBox One platform to work (as stated above), to maybe a 4K/VR/AR Xbox One.

Lol, this rumour could actually stifle sales in both PS4 and XBox One simultaneously.. Perhaps only Uncharted 4 being the unique selling point for PS4 in the interim.
My PS4 has been turned on roughly 8x since it was bought at release. Never been so disappointed with a console. Well, to be more precises with the games. With the exception of the Witcher 3 there's been nothing to entice me that is not a rehash of something I already had on the PS3.

Even the PS3 does not get used now as I have a smart TV and no longer need it to stream from the PC.
Why would a PS4.5 alienate users?? They will most likely both play the same games,with the PS4.5 running them at better quality settings. It is like saying the PS4 launch alienated PS3 users LOL. If anything this will threaten PC gaming even more - with the PS4 most likely going down in price even more,and the PS4.5 having better visuals,I can see more not bothering with gaming PCs.

Edit!!

Even with PC gaming myself,since last summer I can only really count 4 PC games I really bothered playing:
1.)Fallout 4
2.)The new Tombraider
3.)Heroes of the Storm
4.)Planetside 2

Three of those four games are on the PS4.
CAT-THE-FIFTH
Why would a PS4.5 alienate users?? They will most likely both play the same games,with the PS4.5 running them at better quality settings. It is like saying the PS4 launch alienated PS3 users LOL. If anything this will threaten PC gaming even more - with the PS4 most likely going down in price even more,and the PS4.5 having better visuals,I can see more not bothering with gaming PCs.

Edit!!

Even with PC gaming myself,since last summer I can only really count 4 PC games I really bothered playing:
1.)Fallout 4
2.)The new Tombraider
3.)Heroes of the Storm
4.)Planetside 2

Three of those four games are on the PS4.

To a degree, it will undermine the current console model, which a lot of ps4 buyers have bought into. It will cast doubt in the current potential buyer's mind also and might make them sit tight for holiday season if they not in a rush etc.
With 14nm arriving on consoles at some point, some kind hardware refresh was to be expected though.
One vr headset to rule them all.