2016 is the year of VR. Pretty much every metric and sign points to this being the case, with the technology having sort of launched on PC already, with the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive hitting gamers’ homes at a snail’s pace. Still, while the headsets themselves might be having trouble, the technology and the concepts behind it have lit the gaming world on fire. With this in mind, I checked out PlayStation VR at PAX East 2016, having already tested the Oculus for myself. I went in expecting a decent experience, but nothing on par with its PC competition. Instead I came away very impressed, and with the feeling that the PlayStation VR will not only compete with Oculus and Vive, but actually beat it in terms of sales.
The big thing to keep in mind with the PSVR is just how much cheaper it is. To get an Oculus Rift or HTC Vive setup you need a competent gaming PC. The dollar value of this is very arguable, but to lowball it for this comparison let’s say it costs $1000. You then need to be lucky enough to purchase an Oculus Rift or HTC Vive at face value, which will be $600 or $800 respectively. So, bottom dollar value for a PC-style VR setup is $1600.
In comparison, the PlayStation VR requires a PS4 and the headset, making for about an $800 entry cost, or $900 if you get the bundle with the camera and Move controllers. So, half the price of the PC alternative. So, the question is, is the PlayStation VR quality so low that this price difference should be ignored? The answer, based on what I played at PAX East 2016 was definitely no.
You can see my immediate reactions in the video below, going over the two games that I played on the PSVR. Essentially, while it isn’t to the same standards as the Oculus and Vive, i.e. the resolution and graphical capabilities are lower, it is good enough that anyone who can’t afford those other two will pick up a PSVR without hesitation.
Check out the video below for everything I thought about the PlayStation VR experience.
