PS4’s PlayStation VR Was In Development Before Oculus Rift’s Kickstarter

January 8, 2016

This year virtual reality will have its long-awaited commercial release with three new products becoming available. While right now a lot of the spotlight is on Oculus Rift, Sony's PlayStation VR holds an important place for its lower cost of entry when compared with the high-end PC powered competition.

During an interview with International Business Times, Oculus VR's Palmer Luckey was asked what he thought of PlayStation VR. He had a lot to say, including the fact that he was aware of Sony's involvement in virtual reality before his famous Kickstarter campaign hit the internet.

I knew some people at Sony working on VR before I even started my Kickstarter campaign actually, and we brought them in early on to show them what we were working on, to talk about what the minimum standards were for a good VR experience. What does it take to make something that won’t make people uncomfortable and won’t turn people off of virtual reality?

He then commented on the PlayStation VR's competitive position:

I think that there’s not many people who already own a PS4 who don’t own a gaming PC who are going to go out and make that roughly $1500 all-in investment in the Rift. It really is a separate market. They’re bringing virtual reality to a different group of people who I don’t think where ever really a part of our market anyway.

Both parties want the same thing, and that's for virtual reality to be successful. It has a tough road ahead, though. Creating a headset that provides natural and fluid experiences requires no compromises when it comes to lenses and image production, and that means these headsets are doomed to high prices upon arrival, which was showcased front and center stage with Oculus Rift's $599 MSRP announcement earlier this week.

Many are now speculating that the PlayStation VR will debut at $499, making buy-in much more costly than originally anticipated. It's a tough sell for something that isolates gamers and most likely won't be enjoyable for long gaming sessions, but it does provide an experience that many gaming enthusiasts have desired for decades. It'll be up to strong word of mouth and marketing to encourage enough sales for virtual reality to not only build a profitable segment in the market, but entice developers to support the technology.

Although Jonathan Leack began covering the gaming industry in 2009, his earliest roots date back to 2004 when he wrote his first of many reviews to come. Equipped with a B.S. in Computer Information Systems and several information technology certifications, he provides a unique perspective that is technological and business conscious. Having acquired the role of Executive Editor in 2016, his mission is to make GameRevolution a gaming site that thoughtfully considers the consumer perspective, and has a knowledgeable presence of PC gaming, console, hardware, and eSports coverage.