UK games retailer charges for its PSVR demos

Still not sold on VR? Got a PS4? But still not sure? Then you should probably test it out before laying down the hundreds of dollars (or pounds) the peripheral costs. But you probably shouldn't have to pay to do so. But that's exactly what UK retailer Game is doing, charging £5 (just over $6) for ten minutes of neck-craning and open-jawed gaming. You can also pay £15 for 30 minutes. Deal?

It makes sense that PlayStation VR demos are supervised: most people will need assistance fitting the Sony headset. But to the tune of five pounds, for just ten minutes?! That's harder to excuse, especially if it includes getting fitted in -- and working your way through initial tutorials in the demos themself. It certainly won't help endear people to the beleaguered gaming chain.

Given that the basic headset costs $350 in the UK, if you think you're going to play it more than 35 times (in five-minute intervals), you could just buy it. Or, find somewhere that lets you test if for free. Enterprising early adopters are already stepping up:

GAME has released a statement explaining its decision to charge: "Our pay-to-play PlayStation VR experience is a GAME-led initiative. The cost to use the in-store PS4 pod is entirely refundable for customers that go on to buy either the headset or a PS4 console. The payment allows us to ensure that we have dedicated staff manning the PlayStation VR pods who have been fully trained to adhere to best practice demo guidelines. The demos are intended to give our customers access to one of the most exciting new gaming technologies in 2016 and provide them with the opportunity to get a feel for VR before they commit to buy."