Gamers have spoken: Sony will offer pre-orders for $399 PlayStation VR core kit next week

[Shawn Knight]

Sony caused a bit of controversy last week as it relates to its PlayStation VR headset. First, the company revealed at GDC 2016 that its PlayStation VR core kit would retail for $399 but interestingly enough, that price didn't include a necessary component in the PlayStation Camera.

A few days later, Sony added the PlayStation VR bundle to the mix. For $499, the bundle included everything in the core kit plus the required PlayStation Camera and a pair of PlayStation Move motion controllers. The Move controllers aren't necessarily required but they'll certainly be nice to have. You'll also need a PlayStation 4 console which sells for $349 if you don't already have one.

For those that already own the PlayStation Camera and / or Move controllers, the bundle doesn't really make much sense. Something else that didn't seem to make much sense was the fact that Sony said it would begin accepting pre-orders for the PlayStation VR bundle – but not the core kit – on March 22 (today).

Sony apparently caught a lot of flak over the decision and has decided to reverse course.

The PlayStation VR bundle is still available for pre-order today but starting on March 29 at 7:00 am PDT, gamers will also be able to place a pre-order for the PlayStation VR core kit.

John Koller, Vice President, PlayStation Brand Marketing, SCEA, advised anyone that is interested in owning a PlayStation VR on day one to mark their calendars as they're expecting units to sell out quickly.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/64190-gamers-have-spoken-sony-offer-pre-orders-399.html

 

[J spot]

This is going to be such a commercial disaster.

 

[texasrattler]

This is going to be such a commercial disaster.

Not until millions are made, just ask Activision and their CoD franchise. Console users will buy anything cause of mommy and daddy.

 

[lripplinger]

How can the PS4's very low end hardware (it is low end compared to rest of the computer world) even handle VR. We are being told by HTC or Occulus that you need a high end PC to play VR titles?

 

[oldikes]

How can the PS4's very low end hardware (it is low end compared to rest of the computer world) even handle VR. We are being told by HTC or Occulus that you need a high end PC to play VR titles?

The same way console hardware can even play current games at 1080p 60fps. when you have static hardware its easier to optimize.
Also with rumors of the PS 4.5 coming out no doubt it will get a higher end VR treatment.

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

How can the PS4's very low end hardware (it is low end compared to rest of the computer world) even handle VR. We are being told by HTC or Occulus that you need a high end PC to play VR titles?

"Low end" is a bit of a generous term.

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

How can the PS4's very low end hardware (it is low end compared to rest of the computer world) even handle VR. We are being told by HTC or Occulus that you need a high end PC to play VR titles?

The same way console hardware can even play current games at 1080p 60fps. when you have static hardware its easier to optimize.
Also with rumors of the PS 4.5 coming out no doubt it will get a higher end VR treatment.

That's the standard excuse. There are only 3 predominant graphic chip makers and newer titles tend to rely heavily on graphics processing power so why can't devs optimise their games for those 3 chipset makers?
It's simply a case of "make as much money as we can while doing the barest minimum". But that's the way of the world.

 

[Adhmuz]

That's the standard excuse. There are only 3 predominant graphic chip makers and newer titles tend to rely heavily on graphics processing power so why can't devs optimise their games for those 3 chipset makers?

It might only be 3 companies making the GPUs in everything we use, but they span 10 years of architecture iterations, different DX versions, different amounts of VRAM, it's not as simple as you might like to believe. And despite new games being very graphic intensive, you still need to support the low end hardware out there.

 

[lripplinger]

The same way console hardware can even play current games at 1080p 60fps. when you have static hardware its easier to optimize.
Also with rumors of the PS 4.5 coming out no doubt it will get a higher end VR treatment.

Yes, but why on the PC platform are they calling for 90fps minimum for VR then? Apparently you need to attain at least 90fps to avoid issues with motion sickness, etc. If 90fps is required for the optimum experience in VR, how then does low end hardware in the PS4, hope to achieve such a goal? I should be able to then go out and build a cheap, or buy a cheap pre-built system at the store then. I should then expect to get 60fps @ 1080p VR gaming experience? How much of an experience is going to be heavily sacrificed on the PS4 for VR to even attempt to make it playable?

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

It might only be 3 companies making the GPUs in everything we use, but they span 10 years of architecture iterations, different DX versions, different amounts of VRAM, it's not as simple as you might like to believe. And despite new games being very graphic intensive, you still need to support the low end hardware out there.

It can be done but consoles are the big money spinners so they concentrate on those more, it's understandable.