Category: Sony Interactive Entertainment

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SuperData Forecasts 2.6 Million PlayStation VR’s Sold in 2016

It’s only been a few days since Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) launched the first console-based head-mounted display (HMD) PlayStation VR, with everything going well. Now SuperData Research, one of the main companies providing market intelligence on playable media and digital games has reaffirmed its previous forecasts that PlayStation VR will sell 2,602,370 units by the end of 2016.

Way back in March the company predicted the headset would sell 2.6 million and this was before pre-orders had even launched.

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Now its come back with a far more precise figure based on several of the following factors:

  • The PlayStation VR’s biggest benefit is the approximate 44 million install base of PlayStation 4, and its easy plug-n-play setup.
  • The Xbox Kinect, which really only had mini-games for it sold 8 million units in 60 days.
  • Sony is well versed at product launches, with it scheduling around 500,000 demos to help sell pre-orders of the device.
  • There’s some big name titles at launch or coming in the launch window, such as Batman Arkham VR, Resident Evil 7 biohazard, and Final Fantasy XIV.
  • Limiting factors are that Sony has previously had issues with manufacturing a new device early in its lifecycle, and with PlayStation 4 Pro coming out next month maybe waiting to purchase that console first before an add-on.

It’s early days for PlayStation VR so this figure is only an estimation. But as SIE does release sales figures for promotional purposes we’ll likely hear a more concrete figure towards the end of the year.

For all the latest news on PlayStation VR, keep reading VRFocus.

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Littlstar Launches 360 App for PlayStation VR

There’s plenty of videogames available to experience on the newly launched PlayStation VR, but the headset offers plenty more entertainment options. Littlstar a 360-degree video content provider whose app can be found across a range of platforms, has now announced support for Sony Interactive Entertainment’s (SIE) PlayStation VR.

The app is free to download on the platform, providing content across a range of categories such as sports, music, movies, fashion, travel, outdoors, lifestyle, horror, news, and comedy. There are premium channels like ABC, Showtime, and Discovery for further content offerings.

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 For the launch Littlstar also added a new interface for navigating content, which includes a “lean back” mode. Lean back mode allows users to select and view all featured content, or other channels of content, in an uninterrupted fashion.

“Littlstar is proud to be a launch partner of the Sony PS VR, and to offer users the best in cinematic VR content from leading content brands and creators like ABC, Discovery, World of Tanks, Showtime and many more,” said Tony Mugavero, CEO of Littlstar. “The Sony PS VR already features the biggest franchises in gaming, and with the Littlstar app, we will be giving PS VR users access to the best and most powerful VR video experiences as well.”

Back in August Littlstar announced it would be integrating Dolby Atmos into certain content, with Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension 360,Rapid Fire: A Brief History of Flight and Bob’s Burgers 360 – Dancin’ being the first three.

As well as PlayStation VR the Littlstar app also supports Oculus Rift and HTC Vive on PC, Samsung Gear VR and iOS or Android devices for use with Google Cardboard and other headsets.

VRFocus will continue its coverage of Littlstar, reporting back with any further announcements.

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PlayStation VR Launch Sales to be in “many hundreds of thousands” Says Sony

It’s only been a day since Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) launched the highly anticipated PlayStation VR on the world and so far things seem to be going well. While its too early to say how successful the launch has been one of the company’s heads has indicated sales are high.

In an interview with CNBC SIE’s Global Head of Sales and Marketing, Jim Ryan has commented in an interview that: “We know from the data we have from pre-orders that the interest we have is significant,” before adding that sales should be in: “many hundreds of thousands”.

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PlayStation VR is one of the most promising entries into the virtual reality (VR) market due to several factors. It provides a higher quality experience than mobile VR, the PlayStation 4 install base is over 40 million with the current launch of the Slim version dropping the standard console even lower, and the PlayStation VR headset is significantly cheaper than its PC-based rivals, Oculus Rift and HTC Vive.

Even though the Oculus Rift launched at the end of March and HTC Vive a few days later in April, neither company has released concrete sales figures for the headsets, to give an indication on how big the higher-end VR market is and its growth. SIE will likely in time buck this trend and reveal sales figures, if it does it won’t be until next year.

But for success SIE also needs to avoid the trap both of its rivals fell into at launch, not having enough headsets to fulfil pre-orders taken months before hand. Ryan addresses this by saying: “We know that the replenishment cycle is a good one, production is going exactly as we anticipated. We have made decisions to further increase capacity at the back end of 2016 and into 2017, so there are going to be a lot of PlayStation VRs around the world, whether that’s enough to satisfy the demands of the market, we’ll see.”

For all the latest PlayStation VR news, keep reading VRFocus.

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SIE and PlayStation VR Heading to VRTGO in November

Next month the annual VRTGO Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) conference and expo in Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK will be taking place. The one day event has already revealed most of the speakers in attendance but today organiser Secret Sauce has revealed Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) will be in attendance along with the newly launched PlayStation VR.

Simon Benson, Director of the Immersive Technology Group for SIE, will be giving a key note speech and discussing the launch of PlayStation VR. Visitors to the conference will get to hear first-hand the journey he and his team have been on to bring the head-mounted display (HMD) to market. Benson will also be participating in the Future of Social and VR panel where guests will get a glimpse into his views of the strength of social interaction through both VR and related technologies.

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Commenting on his involvement with VRTGO, Simon said: “I am delighted to be joining such a strong line up of speakers and am particularly looking forward to discussing our experiences with enthusiastic new developers.”

“We are pleased to be welcoming Simon to VRTGO,” said Carri Cunliffe, Event Director at Secret Sauce Ltd. “Sony Interactive Entertainment has been a hugely popular participant in the event over the last three years and this year will be extra special as guests will be able to get hands on with PlayStation VR, as well as gain a more thorough understanding of how it came to be.”

VRTGO will be taking place on 9th, November 2016 at the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art. Tickets are still available for £199.00 GBP with a £10.95 booking fee. For all the latest news on VRTGO, keep reading VRFocus.

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Sony’s First Stumble, Malaysian PlayStation VR Launch Delayed

Currently it seems so far so good for the worldwide launch of Sony Interactive Entertainment’s (SIE) PlayStation VR. There’s been no reports just yet of the delivery problems that plagued the arrival of Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, apart from one delay in Malaysia.

In a report by The Star Online, Sony Malaysia has delayed the release of PlayStation VR by a week, with the device now set to launch on 21st October. Currently the company hasn’t revealed why the delay was put in place, simply stating on PlayStation Asia’s Facebook page: “We know that everyone here has been eagerly anticipating it and so have we! That is why we would like to offer our wholehearted apologies for the delay.”

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The country does seem to be the only one affected, with no other reports of delays from anywhere else in the world at present.

Residents have been able to pre-order the device since 30th July 2016. Originally the PlayStation VR was priced at RM1,849, with a bundle including the PlayStation Camera at RM2,029. Those prices have since been reduced to RM1,799 and RM1,949 respectively.

At the moment the PlayStation VR launch has been a success, with retailers holding midnight openings for customers eager to get their hands on the headset straight away. The HMD has an extensive line-up of titles which VRFocus has been doing a roundup of over the past week. Our ‘Best of PlayStation VR Launch’ series has covered genres such as Horror, Racing, Shooting,Adventure, Sports, Platform, Puzzle and Multiplayer titles.

VRFocus will continue its coverage of the PlayStation VR launch, reporting back with any further details.

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Head to King’s Cross to Demo PlayStation VR Today

It’s the 12th October which means there’s only one day to go until the worldwide launch of Sony Interactive Entertainment’s (SIE) PlayStation VR headset. In the run up to release SIE has been touring the UK with its ‘The Future of Play Tour’, visiting 6 cities and showcasing 11 videogames. Today though, commuters and train passengers who are heading into and out of King’s Cross station will be able to demo PlayStation VR as SIE has setup a booth.

And this booth isn’t hard to miss – as you can see from the image below – it’s basically a giant PlayStation VR. It’s unclear which videogames SIE is currently demoing but the booth is separate from the tour, and it’ll be at King’s Cross until Sunday 16th October if you want to see for yourself.

PlayStation VR - Kings Cross

Normally SIE runs a booking schedule for the head-mounted display (HMD) as wait times can be long without it. But there’s no listing on the trypsvr.com website for this booth, so its a case of pop along and see if there’s a queue.

With the launch of PlayStation VR tomorrow SIE has a massive line-up of titles available for day one which VRFocus has been doing a roundup of over the last few days. Our ‘Best of PlayStation VR Launch’ series has so far covered Horror, Racing,  Shooting, Adventure, Sports, Platform and Puzzle titles.

PlayStation VR isn’t the only VR hardware launch in the run up to Christmas, with Oculus Touch now available to pre-order and shipping in December, while Google will be launching its new device Daydream View in November.

VRFocus will continue its coverage of PlayStation VR, reporting back with the latest announcements.

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Sony Releases Setup Videos for PlayStation VR

In two days Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) launches the PlayStation VR head-mounted display (HMD) worldwide. In preparation for the big event the company has launched a series of setup videos so that owners know exactly what to do when their headsets arrive.

Three videos have been released with each one quickly and simply taking gamers through what needs to be done before experiencing PlayStation VR.

The first video is simply is merely an unboxing run though, detailing all the individual components that can be found. This includes the raft of cables that are supplied, plus reinforcing the reminder that users need the PlayStation Camera to use PlayStation VR if the pack they bought doesn’t contain it.

In the second video SIE goes through the process of installing all the cables necessary, from plugging in the processor unit to the PlayStation VR headset itself, just remember you’ll need one additional power outlet.

The last video involves the final adjustments needed to start playing, organising the play area, ensuring the PlayStation Camera has a good viewpoint to detect the HMD and controllers, and how to put the headset on and make it comfortable.

If you’ve bought a PlayStation VR but haven’t been to an event to demo the device before its well worth watching the videos just to ensure everything goes according to plan, and you don’t have any issues enjoying virtual reality (VR).

For all the latest PlayStation VR news, keep reading VRFocus.

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The Best of PlayStation VR Launch: Party Games

Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) has gone to great lengths to ensure that the launch of PlayStation VR defeats many of the naysayers, no less than in the realms of social experiences. Keen to ensure that virtual reality (VR) can be enjoyed by families and friends as well as the core videogame demographic, every early adopter of the head-mounted display (HMD) will receive multiplayer-centric Playroom VR for free. Bargain, right?

There’s also PlayStation VR Worlds to consider. While it may not be a ‘party game’ per se, the implementation of SIE’s social screen initiative – wherein one player uses the HMD while another assists through a separate view on the television or mobile device – proposes some very interesting potential gameplay mechanics. It’s inherently limited by design at present, though much like VR as a medium is destined to evolve in years to come.

In the meantime, having friends and family round for a spate of couch multiplayer is important for expanding the potential audience of not just PlayStation VR, but the medium as a whole, and the below titles are your best bet for doing just that on day one.

Playroom VR – Sony Interactive Entertainment

As stated above, Playroom VR will be a free download for all PlayStation VR early adopters. So that’s an easy decision. But what exactly will you be doing with this software? Well, in true couch multiplayer style, there’s a selection of mini-games included that have players working both with and against the player wearing the PlayStation VR HMD. Monster Escape places the solo HMD wearing in the position of chasing down one-to-four players sharing the television screen and using DualShock 4 controllers to evade the large green beast towering down upon them, whereas Ghost House has the players working co-operatively to hunt supernatural beings in a cartoon haunted house. Playroom VR is a fantastic way of demonstrating this new technology without the fear of the many complicated implications of VR.

Playroom VR: Monster Escape key art

Carnival Games VR – 2K Games

One of the biggest selling franchises on the hugely successful Nintendo Wii console is coming to PlayStation VR. This should divide audiences into two camps immediately: those open to casual videogames and those who refuse to accept them. Those in the latter camp are best just ignoring its existence, but those looking for a videogame to play with their mother or father, son or daughter, or partner or friend unacquainted with videogames could do far worse. Carnival Games VR promises a palatable experience with extremely low barriers for entry.

Carnival Games key art

Ace Banana – Oasis Games

Not exactly the most high profile launch title for the PlayStation VR, Ace Banana tasks the players with defending a pile of bananas from evil invader monkeys. To do this, you’ll have to put your archery skills to the test using PlayStation Move controllers. What makes Ace Banana stand out as a party videogame is that the levels are keenly designed to increase in difficulty from short bursts to longer endurance tests, and that the entire videogame can be played co-operatively.

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The Best PlayStation VR Launch Titles
The Best Horror Games for PlayStation VR The Best Platform Games for PlayStation VR The Best Racing Games for PlayStation VR
The Best Party Games for PlayStation VR The Best Shooting Games for PlayStation VR
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The Best of PlayStation VR Launch: Racing Games

Racing videogames have been one of the most popular genres in the industry for over a decade, routinely selling large numbers of units in the holiday period. Is it any surprise that Electronic Arts’ near-annual Need for Speed titles arrive later in the year? Or that both Sony Interactive Entertainment and Microsoft both bring a first-party produced racing videogame to market in time for the holiday season annually? Well, PlayStation VR is no different, with a selection of racing videogames set to be ready and waiting at launch.

While Gran Turismo Sport has been delayed into 2017, Sony Interactive Entertainment’s other big PlayStation 4 racing franchise, DriveClub, will be making its PlayStation VR debut alongside the head-mounted display (HMD) on 13th October 2016. Also arriving at launch will be Microids’ Moto Racer 4 and, though not 100% confirmed for day one itself, Oculus Rift launch title Radial-G: Racing Revolved will be available within the launch window of the device.

“Where’s Project CARS?” You may well ask. Well, although Slightly Mad Studios initially confirmed a PlayStation VR release for Project CARS, we’re yet to see it running on the device or get confirmation of a release date. Furthermore, there’s currently no information on whether the studio plan on patching in the PlayStation VR support for free, offering it as additional downloadable content (DLC) in the same fashion as DriveClub VR, or re-releasing the videogame as a new entity altogether. Of course, VRFocus will keep you updated with any movements on that front.

DriveClub VR – Sony Interactive Entertainment

DriveClub VR was a ‘Will it? Won’t it?’ title for some time. Sony Interactive Entertainment revealed early-on in the PlayStation VR’s unusually public development cycle that a prototype for DriveClub VR had been developed, but never discussed a potential consumer release. In fact, when the announcement of Gran Turismo Sport supporting PlayStation VR came it was assumed that the lessons learned through DriveClub VR had been cannibalised for Polyphony Digital’s latest effort. This, thankfully, was not true, as in VRFocus’ experiences with the videogame DriveClub VR stands as one of the best virtual reality (VR) racing videogames to date.

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Radial-G: Racing Revolved – Tammeka Games

Tammeka Games’ Radial-G: Racing Revolved has proved to be a hugely popular racing experience amongst Oculus Rift early adopters, and the UK studio is hoping to recreate that success on console. Launching on PlayStation VR with the exact same content suite – including all patches and updates that have been offered on PC since launch – Radial-G: Racing Revolved’s unique brand of high-speed science-fiction racing (unique in that we haven’t seen an F-Zero or WipEout release for quite some time) in a first-person perspective will surely find a keen audience on PlayStation VR.

Radial-G Racing Revolved screenshot

Moto Racer 4 – Microids

Little is currently known about the release of Moto Racer 4 on PlayStation VR, bar Microids’ confirmation that it will be available at launch. Both single-player and online multiplayer modes have been revealed, though it’s not yet known whether Moto Racer 4 will allow for non-VR players to race against VR gamers, or whether the online multiplayer will be open at all to PlayStation VR owning competitors. In fact, it’s not currently known whether the PlayStation VR compatibility will be open across the entire videogame or restricted to a standalone gameplay mode.

Moto Racer 4 screenshot 2

The Best PlayStation VR Launch Titles
The Best Horror Games for PlayStation VR The Best Platform Games for PlayStation VR The Best Racing Games for PlayStation VR
The Best Party Games for PlayStation VR The Best Shooting Games for PlayStation VR
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Amazon UK Pre-Orders for PlayStation VR May Not Be Fulfilled Until December

Sony Interactive Entertainment’s (SIE) PlayStation VR launches worldwide on 13th October, with pre-orders launched back in March during the Game Developers Conference (GDC). Numerous retailers -both online and in the high street – have been taking orders for the upcoming head-mounted display (HMD), and selling out of their allocated stock very quickly. Online giant Amazon has been one such retailer, but now its seems as if some UK customers might not get their headset on launch day.

Amazon has been running a first-come first-served policy for its PlayStation VR pre-orders, and now a disclaimer on the website indicates that the company won’t have enough stock to fulfill all the orders it’s taken for launch day.

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“Due to limited stock we are only able to offer one unit per customer per address. You will be notified via email of the expected delivery date closer to the time. We will be fulfilling customer orders in the order in which they were placed and expect to fulfil all customer pre-orders by December 12th, 2016. This product comes with a UK plug and therefore may not be suitable for use outside of the UK.”

So if you’ve pre-order your device months ago you should be fine, but if you’ve only done it recently then the likelyhood is that you could be waiting up to a further two months after launch day to get your PlayStation VR.

If you’ve been considering getting a PlayStation VR it’ll probably still be quicker getting the headset this way, with demand so high don’t expect to see it on shop shelves anytime soon after launch.

Accessories for PlayStation VR are already available, with hard cases for protection and transportation available, as well as stands with built in chargers for the controllers.

VRFocus will continue its coverage of PlayStation VR and all the videogames coming out for the headset, so keep reading for the latest updates.