Sony’s decision to sell PlayStation VR at a significantly lower cost than its competitors has put the format holder in a strong position, the ex-director of strategic content for PlayStation has said.
Speaking with GamingBolt, Shahid Kamal Ahmad was quick to praise the console maker’s pricing strategy, though said it will take time before the upcoming virtual reality headset will penetrate the mainstream market.
“The price point of PSVR puts PlayStation in a strong position. They have a large, active installed base for their headset already, and probably the most consumer-friendly device of the serious contenders,” he said. “I think VR in general is here to stay, and it’s only going to keep getting better with every generation. TV will likely not go away, but VR is well poised to become the new medium; just don’t expect this to happen overnight!”
“I have a golden rule for VR: Don’t break the spell. Once someone is in VR, you want them to forget they’re there. That’s a combination of technique, technology, pacing and design. It’s a brand new challenge. Ergonomics will also be important, as will ease of setup. Input is also not quite there yet, but it’s moving in the right direction.”
Sony announced at GDC last month a $399/£349 price for PS VR, and confirmed that the device will be arriving in stores this October. In addition, the company said it aims to have 50 titles available for the headset by the end of the year, and over 230 developers are currently on board.
We’ve already seen a number of PS4 games confirmed to use PS VR, including the likes of Ace Combat 7, Dreams, Gran Turismo Sport and Tekken 7 among others. Expect a slew of new titles to be announced at E3 in June.
In terms of competition, PS VR will be going up against Oculus Rift and HTC Vive; however, Sony has the advantage with price, with its rivals costing $599 and $799, respectively. The $499 launch bundle for PS VR can now be pre-ordered for North American gamers.
Comments