A three paragraph press release issued by Sony Interactive Entertainment and Lenovo suggests the companies quietly resolved a disagreement over the latter’s use of Sony’s PlayStation VR headset design.
Lenovo’s Mirage Solo headset is an intriguing developer kit which is getting upgrades by way of a new Google add-on that will give the standalone headset a pair of 6DoF hand controllers. The way the headset balances weight distribution and tightens for a snug fit, however, bears a striking resemble to Sony’s headset, as you can see here:
At left is the Lenovo Mirage Solo, which started shipping in 2018. In the center is a patent image from Sony with dates listed on the patent going back to 2014 and 2015. At right is the Sony PlayStation VR headset which started shipping first in 2016.
The release suggests the outcome — a two-year patent licensing deal for PSVR’s industrial design — was viewed by Sony’s Riley Russell, Chief Legal Officer, as the best one for “helping the VR industry expand.”
“The industrial design for PS VR has been widely acclaimed, and that was the result of years of hard work by PlayStation engineers,” according to Russell’s prepared statement.
It is unclear whether the agreement covers future headsets, but it seems possible Lenovo could double down on the Daydream ecosystem in 2019 with a new headset that features two 6DoF hand controllers. We’ll be curious to see a.) if that headset actually comes to pass and b.) whether it bears any continued similarity to Sony’s design. We’ll also be curious to see if any other agreements are announced by companies with headsets which bear more than a passing resemblance to Sony’s.
With Halloween right around the corner, we felt like it was time to start rounding up some of the very best PSVR horror games and experiences out there. Ever since Sony’s headset launched back in late 2016, over two years ago, it’s become a go-to destination for some of the best and most terrifying VR horror games out there, even securing some high-profile exclusives.
Vertigo Games proved that even in the most saturated genre we’ve seen for VR games this year — shooters with zombies — there was still room for something fresh. Arizona Sunshine combines the narrative power of a fully-featured 4+ hour campaign mode, with the intensity of a wave-based horde mode, and then adds multiplayer to both experiences. The protagonist’s witty humor make it worth recommending on his charming personality alone, with enough depth and variety to keep people coming back for several hours. By doing so many things so well, Arizona Sunshine quickly rose to the top of the pack as the best overall zombie shooter we’ve seen yet in VR.
The Brookhaven Experiment builds on the foundation of its popular demo and establishes itself as one of the premiere VR zombie shooter experiences on the HTC Vive. It doesn’t have a deep or engaging narrative, but between the Campaign and Survival modes there is enough content to satisfy fans of all experience levels. The new maps, enemies, and weapons take what was an already scary game and cranks things up to a downright hair-raising degree of terror.
The Exorcist: Legion VR is without a doubt one of the best VR horror experiences available. The slow-building tension is expertly paced, each and every scare feels visceral and dangerous, and the sheer sense of terror you feel while methodically exploring the richly detailed environments is staggering. It honestly felt like I could hear the voices inside my own head and I could feel the heat from my crucifix as I stared down the faces of demon and eradicated the evil within. The Exorcist: Legion VR will turn even the most hardened horror fans into whimpering piles of fear.
Like many VR titles, Home Sweet Home can at times feel like its VR mode is simply a tacked on bonus to an otherwise pretty entertaining game. Unlike other titles, however, Home Sweet Home manages to add enough to the mode to make it something that all PSVR owners should try out. Though it has its issues, the eerie atmosphere, incredible sound design, and surprisingly unique theme of the game make it one of the better horror experiences that I’ve had on the PSVR. If you’re into atmospheric horror and looking for something to scare you this month, then this is definitely worth a try.
The Inpatient has a great premise with excellent production values, but its hampered by poor controls and lackluster character development. As a prequel to Until Dawn, it does a great job of fleshing out the lore a bit more, but it’s a bit short to really stand on its own. That being said, the moments that are there and the scares that they produce are totally worth experiencing. Plus, more games should absolutely adopt the voice recognition dialog feature going forward.
Killing Floor: Incursion isn’t the best zombie game I’ve played in VR (that would still go to Arizona Sunshine) but it does a lot right. The unsettling atmosphere is pervasive through each level and the excellent gameplay mechanics between melee and gun combat feel visceral and satisfying. While it does clock in a bit shorter than I’d have liked with only four levels, they are each large and fun to explore. I absolutely recommend that you grab a buddy for some insane co-op fun and lop off a few zed heads for a good time.
The Nun released to a mixed reception at the box office, but this short little VR teaser is worth giving a watch. It’s very, very short and doesn’t have any interaction at all, but it all builds up to one big jump scare at the end that is definitely scream-worthy. The atmosphere is extremely chilling. Boot this one up from inside the PSVR’s YouTube app.
Paranormal Activity: The Lost Soul is a relatively solid VR horror game. There is a strong foreboding sense of terror, a thickly developed atmosphere, and excellent use of sound and lighting to convey a real sense of fear. The adaptive scare system also works well, for the most part, and keeps you guessing. However the poor control system, occasional bugs (which will likely be addressed soon with patches,) short length, and inconsistent pacing keep it from being as successful as it could have been.
The Persistence offers something fresh and engaging by mixing different genres that we don’t often see melded together so well. On a moment-to-moment basis the horrors lurking around every corner keep you on your toes and the give-and-take aspect of its roguelike nature ensures that no two runs are ever quite the same. The lack of Move or PS Aim controller support is a bummer, but it still plays wonderfully just on the standard DualShock 4. This is a dark, challenging stealth shooter that PSVR fans can keep coming back to for quite a while.
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard sets a new bar for survival horror games and stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the best games in the franchise’s long history. By uniting elements from the past, such as the slow pacing, focus on exploration, mind-bending puzzles, and desperation for survival, with the pulse-pounding first-person gameplay of the recent era of horror games, Capcom has crafted a veritable modern classic. Resident Evil 7 embraces virtual reality as a medium and proves that you don’t have to cut corners or make sacrifices to create a compelling VR experience.
Stifled is a one-of-a-kind horror game that’s unlike anything I’ve seen before. The use of sound to allow you to see the world around you but also alert your enemies creates a terrifying and suspenseful dynamic that left me quivering in my shorts. The pacing isn’t perfect and some other pieces felt lacking, but the core premise of Stifled is so very strong it’s impossible not to recommend it. This game should be experienced by anyone that wants to see how VR as a medium can transform the way we interact with video games.
There is a lot to unpack in Transference. It deals with several heavy themes that will likely make players uneasy, and from what I can tell, that’s sort of the point. Ubisoft and SpectreVision have mixed the stylings of Black Mirror and The Matrix with a twisted vision of the future that feels dangerously honest and realistic. While I’d have certainly loved for it to be a bit longer, I also appreciate how well-paced and polished it feels at the same time. It’s not without its flaws, but Transference is an unforgettable VR experience that I won’t soon forget.
Until Dawn: Rush of Blood delivers on the promise of pulse-pounding scares and has enough context to feel like an adequate follow-up to the excellent previous game. It may not resemble the franchise’s core values at first glance, but what you’ll find beneath the surface is a game that swaps the sophisticated character development of its predecessor for a sophisticated interpretation of horror genre tropes.
Operation Warcade is like an arcade cabinet wave shooter transported into VR. The mechanics are fine, it plays well, and it captures the right tone if these types of shooters are your thing. We’re hosting a giveaway here at UploadVR to send out five physical copies of Operation Warcade on PSVR. All you have to do is enter here or at the widget down below inside this article. Winners will be picked at 4PM PT on Monday, October 29th.
Winners will be randomly selected. We have five physical copies of Operation Warcade on PSVR to give out. US entries only. Winners will be contacted via email to secure shipping address. Copies will be mailed via UPS.
For more on the game here is an excerpt from its PSN Store page description:
“Operation Warcade is a shooter specifically designed for virtual reality, inspired by the late ’80s classic war arcade that now uses the latest technology to convert it into a unique experience. Thanks to the innovative immersion system, you will be able to travel inside the video game whenever you want to experience the adventure in a completely different way, like shooting from a helicopter, from a trench or from inside a tank… because why not? The power is on your side.”
Winners will be selected at approximately 4PM PT on Monday, October 29th, 2018, and will be notified by email promptly. If you’d rather not click the link above, here is the embedded contest widget:
Today Sony launched PSVR’s “Happy Birthday Sale” to commemorate its upcoming two-year anniversary on October 13th. The massive sale is running from now until October 23rd. There have been lots of PSN Sales for PSVR titles over the years, but few have been anywhere near as massive as this one.
With over 170 titles discounted, some up to even 80% off normal prices, I’d be surprised if you don’t find something worth buying. Since that’s far too many titles for us to spend all day individually linking in the text here, we’ve instead rounded up 15 of our favorites. But you should really check out the full sale on the PSN Store as soon as you can.
All sales prices below will be the PS Plus version of each sale price, which is 5% – 10% higher per game. If you don’t have PS Plus, now would be a good time to get and it’ll pay for itself in extra savings alone.
According to an interview posted on the Financial Times (and referenced by IGN) Sony’s CEO Kenichiro Yoshida said, “At this point, what I can say is it’s necessary to have a next-generation hardware”. The company isn’t calling it a PlayStation 5 yet and there’s no word of PSVR or PSVR 2 at all, but some sort of VR support is essentially a given at this point.
Alternatively, Microsoft is less sure about console-powered VR, going as far as canceling plans for Xbox One’s VR support, but they did confirm work on a next-generation console at this year’s E3 already. It seems like a no-brainer to enable Windows VR headset support on a future Xbox console.
The heroes of two of the best PSVR games of the year just collided in this adorable new video for the headset.
Quill, the tiny protagonist from Polyarc’s brilliant VR adventure, Moss, and Astro from this week’s equally-excellent Astro Bot Rescue Mission meet face-to-face in the below video. It’s promoting a new bundle for the headset that includes copies of both games (a physical version of Astro Bot and a digital download for Moss). In a Reddit AMA earlier this week Polyarc revealed that it had practically begged Sony to be included in such a bundle.
You know what they say about good things and small packages.
Get two acclaimed (and adorable) adventures in the Astro Bot Rescue Mission and Moss PS VR bundle, available now: pic.twitter.com/8DHCFkpYkp
Rescue Mission and Moss are actually pretty similar games, with both having the player explore diorama-sized worlds and controlling their heroes from the perspective of a larger entity. Moss definitely leans more heavily on the adventure side though, with more puzzles and deeper combat, whilst Astro Bot is more your traditional platformer like a Mario game. Both are definitely worth playing, though.
This begs the question: are Quill and Astro PSVR’s very first mascots? We certainly think they’re worthy of the mantle, even if the former has shown up on other headsets.
Every month we aim to round up each and every VR game release for you in one single place — this is September’s list. Don’t worry — we’ll continue highlighting the best ones at the end of each week too.
With the door closed on September, we’ve just been through another great month of VR content. Between Creed, Blind, Transference, and Windlands 2 there were lots of titles to look forward to last month. Now with October upon us, it’s time to take a look at what’s coming down the line next.
And if you’re a VR game developer planning to release a game soon — let us know!You can get in touch with me directly by emailing david@uploadvr.com or hit all of the editorial team by emailing tips@uploadvr.com. Please contact us about your upcoming releases so that we can know what you’re working on and include you in release lists!
Rift, Vive, and Windows VR Game Releases For September 2018
We would love to include mobile releases, but there is very little visibility about what’s coming to Gear VR, Go, or Daydream and it’s difficult to track releases accurately by date. That being said, if you have a mobile VR title in the works with a specific launch date or window, let us know!
The rumors are true: there is no PlayStation Experience happening in 2018. Last year’s PlayStation Experience was down in Anaheim, CA in December and that was the first place that we were able to play games like WipEout VR and Firewall Zero Hour right after they were announced.
Sony made the announcement today on a recording of the 308th episode of PlayStation Blogcast. During the episode Shawn Layden, chairman of Sony Interactive Entertainment Worldwide Studios, made the announcement.
“For 2018, I know this is going to be a disappointment to some people, but we’ve decided not to hold a PlayStation Experience this year. We won’t have it in the States this year,” Layden said.
This is the first time since the event started in 2014. It had been held four years in a row up to this point. Next year, 2019, marks the 25th anniversary of the original PlayStation.
“Now that we have Spider-Man out the door, we’re looking down in 2019 to games like ‘Dreams’ and ‘Days Gone’ but we wouldn’t have enough to bring people altogether in some location in North America to have that event,” Layden said.”We don’t want to set expectations really high and then not deliver on it. It was a hard decision, but we determined that this year we will not hold a PlayStation Experience.”
Basically it sounds like they don’t think they have enough confirmed games for 2019 that they can show off to warrant hosting an event.
Frankly, that doesn’t seem like it can be the real reason. He cites Dreams and Days Gone, but between other titles like The Last of Us II, Ghosts of Tsushima, Resident Evil 2 Remake, Death Stranding, and countless indie titles as well as PSVR titles there should be enough to show off. In fact, they could easily also show games that have just came out and/or are releasing at the end of this year.
I’m not in a position to verifiably say the reason for not having a PlayStation Experience, but the reason must be deeper than they don’t think they’ve got enough games to show since this is both a PSVR and PS4 non-VR event.
What do you think? Is it a budget concern? Let us know down in the comments below!
PlayStation figurehead Shuhei Yoshida says to expect more full games for the company’s PSVR headset going forward.
In an interview with the Japanese PlayStation Blog for last week’s Tokyo Game Show (roughly translated via Google), Sony’s Head of Worldwide Studios explained that many PSVR games up to this point have been smaller experiences, but the appetite for larger games is growing.
“Users will not want a short experience, they will want to have a game to play for a longer time,” Yoshida said. “Based on such expectations, I came up with the strategy of making full-scale games of larger scale in the 2nd and 3rd years.”
Yoshida referenced titles like the recently-released (and very excellent) Firewall Zero Hour and the upcoming Astro Bot Rescue Mission as the beginnings of that plan. “Titles with deeper gaming will continue to increase in the future,” he added.
Indeed, there are some bigger PSVR games on the horizon right now. In November, Dark Souls developer From Software will release an adventure game named Deracine, and we’ve been looking forward to Sony London Studio’s follow-up to London Heist, Blood And Truth, for some time now.
Still, we’re eager to see what else Sony has in store for PSVR, especially as it nears its third year as Yoshida referenced. The company’s newly-established UK studio is working exclusively on PSVR titles, but we still haven’t seen exactly what it’s working on. Let’s hope there are still some big surprises in store.
A new patent from Sony suggests the company’s next PlayStation VR (PSVR) headset will take the fight to simulation sickness.
The patent was originally filed in early 2017 (six months after the original PSVR’s release) and published last week. It describes a system for fighting what it describes as “virtual reality sickness” using a head-mounted display (HMD) that’s fitted with a range of biometric sensors such as a thermometer, eye-tracking cameras, a moisture sensor and exterior orientation sensors.
According to the patent, the given headset would use these features to establish a “health threshold value” that could presumably tell when a VR experience was becoming too intense for the user and then act accordingly. There’s even a microphone that will listen out for “negative” words and noises that might suggest you’re having a bad time (or you’re just doing the Mr. Baker chase in Resident Evil 7).
It’s an interesting approach to solving the simulation sickness issues; many hardware and software developers are trying to reduce sickness through intelligent design but this patent suggests Sony may come up with a system that accepts people get ill in VR and tries to help them when they start feeling nauseous.
That said, based on the chart below, it looks like the system would be more concerned with alerting the VR user to their condition rather than dynamically changing the given experience for it. The number of sensors listed also frankly lean a little on the overkill side of things.
Of course, some elements of the headset could also be used in other ways. Eye-tracking, for example, is considered essential for the next step of VR. It allows for foveated rendering, which only fully renders the parts of a display you’re directly looking at, dramatically reducing the processing power required to run experiences. That could be great news for the PS5.
Interestingly enough the headset is also fitted with a battery, suggesting it may be a self-contained system. Could that mean that a hypothetical PSVR 2 would operate wirelessly, connecting to a PlayStation console over WiFi? It wouldn’t be the first time we’ve heard mention of wireless support.
We recently reported that Sony CEO Kenichiro Yoshida is confident we’ll see improvements to VR comfort and immersion going forward, and elements of this patent could play a big part in that. Earlier this year we also saw a patent that suggested the company was working on new motion controllers for VR too. The only question now is if and when we’ll see all of these promising elements come to fruition?
