Take-Two boss Strauss Zelnick has expressed his reservations about virtual reality gaming, stating there’s many hurdles to face if the technology is to catch on.
Speaking during the Cowen & Company Technology, Media and Telecom Conference (via GameSpot), the executive said that VR is simply too expensive and that the average punter is unlikely to have enough space to accommodate it.
"It’s way too expensive right now," said Zelnick. "There is no market for a $2000 entertainment device that requires you to dedicate a room to the activity. I don’t know what people could be thinking. Maybe some of the people in this room have a room to dedicate to an entertainment activity, but back here in the real world? That’s not what we have in America.
"We have like $300 to spend on an entertainment device and we do not have a dedicated room. We have a room for a screen, a couch, and controllers," he continued. "We don’t have something where you stand in a big open space and hold two controllers with something on your head–and not crash into the coffee table. We don’t have that."
Despite these concerns, Zelnick said that he’s not entirely against virtual reality gaming: "I’m not unexcitied; I’m just saying it remains to be seen," he said. "There are impediments."
Sony gears up for PlayStation VR launch this October at competitive entry price point
Sony will launch its own foray into the virtual reality market this October with PlayStation VR, which consumers can pick up for $399.99/£349.99. By comparison to competing devices, PS VR is by far the cheapest option available.
PlayStation VR will be supported by around 50 titles by the end of the year, and Sony has confirmed that around 230 developers are working on games for the headset. The device will also be sold at a profit from launch.
Among the titles confirmed to utilize the technology so far include Ace Combat 7, Dreams, Gran Turismo Sport and Tekken 7, with more surely to be announced at E3 later this month.