PlayStation VR coming to Best Buy very soon

PlayStation VR is on its way

Today Sony officially unveiled PlayStation VR, their revolutionary new virtual reality device coming to PlayStation 4 this October. First announced nearly two years ago at Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2014, Sony once again took to the stage at the annual developer conference to shed more light on PlayStation VR.

PlayStation VR is coming to Best Buy soon.  Keep checking the blog as we’ll provide more details about availability and pre-orders soon.

A year of build up to this moment

Sony has not been shy over the last 12 month about providing details and hands-on sessions with PlayStation VR, previously known as Project Morpheus. PlayStation VR was first demoed at last year’s GDC, then it made an appearance during Sony’s E3 press conference, and was later shown at major industry events such as Gamescom, Tokyo Game Show, Paris Games Week, and Sony’s fan-centric PlayStation Experience. Now soon, gamers everywhere will have a chance to experience the future of immersive, 360-degree VR gaming, available only on PlayStation VR.

PlayStation VR on display at Tokyo Game Show 2015

PlayStation VR: Key Features

2016 will be known as the year that virtual reality exploded into the mainstream, and Sony is aiming to lead this revolution with its powerful new VR headset. The arrival of PlayStation VR will signal a monumental shift in way we view, interact, and share PlayStation gaming experiences. Instead of playing games on your home TV, PlayStation VR will place you at the centre of immersive game experiences, transporting you to breathtaking VR environments, and opening up a new era of exciting gameplay possibilities.

Here are the key features to know about PlayStation VR:

Advanced OLED display – The PlayStation VR headset contains a 5.7 inch full-HD OLED display that can output 1920 x RGB x 1080 resolution, providing 960 x RGB x 1080 pixels per eye. If you’re unfamiliar with the acronym RGB, it stands for “red, green, blue,” and indicates that the headset panel features RGB subpixels per pixel. This helps to smooth out colours by eliminating screen-door effect (seeing black gaps between pixels) and gives the image much higher fidelity.

100 degree field of view – The OLED panel has been uniquely developed with an approximate 100 degree field of view to create an immersive 3D space in front of your eyes. No matter which direction you face—front, to the side, or behind—you’ll always have the vast 100 degree field of view.

120hz refresh rate – PlayStation VR games can be rendered at 120fps (frames-per-second) and when combined with the OLED display’s high refresh rates, motion blur is significantly reduced and visuals are exceptionally smooth. Some early games won’t natively run at 120fps, however using PlayStation 4’s advanced reprojection software, extra “in-between” frames will be created to simulate the higher frame rate for silky-smooth gameplay.

Movement and position tracking – 9 positional tracking LEDs on the exterior of the device will keep track of where you are in three-dimensional space for complete 360-degree head tracking. When used with a PlayStation Camera, as you tilt or turn your head, the LEDs will work in unison to create smooth image movement, and the movement of your PlayStation controller can also be tracked and reflected in the display’s image in real-time.

Super low latency – latency refers to the amount of time between taking an action and seeing that action on the display panel. With PlayStation VR’s latency of less than 18ms, your actions will appear virtually in real-time, giving you a sense of presence and reduce fatigue.

3D audio – Feel deeply immersed in rich 3D audio that will sound like it’s coming from any direction in your 360-degree surroundings in stunning clarity. PlayStation VR also includes a stereo mini jack and microphone input for online gaming.

Built for comfort – Featuring a unique visor-style design, PlayStation VR has been engineered to remain balanced for maximum comfort during long game sessions. The adjustable dual-band fits comfortably around different head sizes, and the visor will slip easily right over eyeglasses.

PlayStation VR at E3 2015

PlayStation VR: Hardware

PlayStation VR has been built from the ground-up to work with existing PlayStation 4 consoles. For the more than 36 million PS4 owners around the world, this means you can surround yourself in immersive 360-degree PlayStation VR worlds right out of the box.

To ensure an optimal VR experience, Sony has created a small, separate VR processing box that connects to your PS4 via USB and HDMI cables. This box is used to render the VR graphics, creating visuals that match your motions 1:1. Combined with the powerful AMD processor already in your PS4, the added processing power from this box will produce breathtaking VR visuals and reduce tiredness during prolonged gaming sessions.

Social entertainment is at the heart of PlayStation VR. The processing box can connect to your TV and display a 2D image of what you’re seeing on the panel, allowing others to see your game and join in. Not only can you connect multiple PlayStation VR units to the same PS4 console for networked multiplayer games, but you can also have “asynchronous” multiplayer where one player uses PlayStation VR and everyone else uses the TV.

Many of the devices you already use with your PS4 will be compatible with PlayStation VR. For example, VR games can use your Wireless DualShock 4 Controller, and even use the LED light bar to detect the controller’s position in 3D space, then replicate this position within your game. PlayStation VR will also work with the PlayStation Camera to provide accurate head tracking, whether your looking to the front, behind you, or to the side. A version of the PlayStation Move Controller will also be compatible with PlayStation VR, allowing you to use full-range motion to control your games.

Games media tries PlayStation VR at E3 2015

PlayStation VR: The Games

Gaming tech has always been defined by software library, and from what we know now, the future of PlayStation VR gaming looks very bright. At GDC 2015, Sony announced that more than 230 developers—from small indie teams, to large AAA game developers—are working on PlayStation VR games. Some notable known projects include:

• Final Fantasy XIV Online – Square Enix’s popular massively multiplayer online Final Fantasy title will be updated with VR compatibility.
• Until Dawn: Rush of Blood – From Supermassive Games, plunge into a terrifying rollercoaster ride with arcade-style shooting mechanics.
• Tekken 7 – The latest entry in Bandai Namco’s venerable fighting game series.
• RIGS Mechanized Combat League – Enter futuristic sports arenas for intense, mechanized multiplayer combat
• Eve Valkyrie – Form your own clan of outlaws, explore uncharted space, and engage in intense 360-degree aerial dogfights.
• Robinson: The Journey – Crytek latest visual tour de force will transport you to a living, breathing prehistoric world filled with lush foliage, and beasts that range from harmless herbivores to gigantic apex predators.

There are numerous other PlayStation VR titles you can look forward to, like The London Heist (bank robbery action), Superhypercube (geometric puzzler), Headmaster (Soccer training), Thumper (rhythm action), Battlezone (tank arena combat), and many more. PlayStation is expecting to have more than 50 games available from launch in October, 2016, until the end of the year. Get ready to explore a wealth of exciting new VR worlds, in stunning 360-degrees, with PlayStation VR.

Andrew House, President of Sony Computer Entertainment, announces PlayStation VR games at E3 2015

PlayStation VR is coming to Best Buy

Keep checking the blog as we’ll provide more details about availability and pre-orders soon.

Interested in PlayStation VR?

                      Be sure to let us know in the comments your thoughts on Sony’s upcoming VR device for PlayStation 4.