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Google signs up PlayStation VR engineer Richard Marks
The head of Sony's virtual reality efforts has left the company after 19 years and moved to another California-based tech giant: Google. Richard Marks headed Sony's Magic Lab, the group behind the PlayStation VR headset, and served as the company's voice when it came to its work in virtual reality. Google told VentureBeat that Marks is now part of its Advanced Technology and Projects group (ATAP), which develops experimental projects like X does, but within a shorter span of time. Some of its more popular undertakings are Google's depth-sending tech Project Tango and its modular phone initiative Project Ara.
Adorable VR game 'Moss' now supports Windows Mixed Reality
Launched earlier this year as a PSVR exclusive and eventually released for Oculus Rift and HTC Vive last month, adorable adventure game Moss is getting an update to support Windows Mixed Reality headsets.
PSVR’s World Cup ‘executive suite’ is more ludicrous than luxurious
In case you wanted another way to watch this year's World Cup from Russia, PlayStation has you covered. Sony's gaming division has partnered with BBC Sports VR to put you in a virtual executive box replete with a gigantic window overlooking the pitch. More than that, you'll have a choice between three different "seats" on the fly, too: behind each goal and from the midfield line. You just need a PlayStation 4, PSVR helmet and the BBC's free World Cup PSVR app.
'Skyrim VR' is now easier to play and better to look at
Bethesda's Skyrim went full VR about seven months ago, and it's now getting a pretty significant update. That's a good thing, as not everyone was super pleased with this version of the venerable RPG. According to UploadVR, the title will receive improved visuals, a new main menu and some significant changes to the Move controller configuration.
3D world-building tool SculptVR makes its way to PSVR
SculptVR already provides creative minds a way to conjure up Minecraft-like worlds with detailed 3D sculptures on the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and Google Daydream. Now, it's also giving PlayStation VR fans the tools they need to bring their imagination to life. The application will be available for Sony's virtual reality platform on June 19th, allowing you to create any 3D object you want using PSVR's controllers. Drawing with controllers may sound daunting, but SculptVR founder Nathan Rowe said it could actually be easier than drawing 2D images.
'Arca's Path' is the VR puzzle game I've been waiting for
Super Monkey Ball in virtual reality, but instead of using a gamepad to control the titular sphere, movement is dictated with head-tracking -- that isn't a reductive judgment of physics-based labyrinth Arca's Path, it's just the easiest way of describing the debut game from Dream Reality Interactive.
Justin Roiland is a totally chill, normal guy with a new video game
Justin Roiland absentmindedly twirls the faces of the Rubik's Cube in his hands as we finish setting up the camera equipment. "I'm playing Shadows of Mordor... I just got the Oculus Go so I'm like messing around with bunch of stuff on [that]," he mentions. "I'm playing on the Switch, I'm playing ... god, too many things at once. I have too many games right now that I'm sort of bouncing around, you know?"
'Zone of the Enders' and PlayStation VR are a perfect match
It's the rule: When a game hits its second remaster, the title must get longer and more convoluted. So, for the PS4 (and now PC) 4K remaster, it's now Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner - Mars. It's a substantially repolished version that fixes some of the major issues with the first remaster, but it's the virtual reality component on PlayStation VR which stands out. Giant mech robots work well in VR, and ZOE2 remains an enjoyable sci-fi mech fighter even more than a decade later.
Rhythm hit 'Beat Saber' is coming to PlayStation VR
Beat Saber has been one of the more attention-grabbing VR titles on PCs as of late, and it's not hard to see why: it amps up the familiar rhythm game formula with an immersive experience that turns every note into a dramatic sword swing. It makes sense, then, that the creators at Beat Games would want to expand their audience. They've announced that Beat Saber is coming to PlayStation VR at some point in the near future. There isn't even a hint of a release date, but knowing that it's on the roadmap might help if you were looking for reasons to justify a PSVR headset.
PSVR's 'Ghost Giant' turns the world into your sandbox
VR is great at providing new perspectives for seemingly familiar experiences, and PlayStation VR's latest game is a textbook example of that. Zoink Games (the creators of the beautiful and inventive Fe) has unveiled Ghost Giant, which uses VR to turn you into an all-powerful companion for the lonely boy Louis as he embarks on a grand journey. Effectively, the world becomes your sandbox: you can open buildings, uproot trees and move vehicles with your ethereal hands. From what we've seen in the trailer, it's a refreshing spin on third-person gaming where you're consciously aware of how you loom over the landscape.
VR puzzler 'Moss' and its adorable mouse are coming to PC
Enchanting adventure Moss might have launched as a PlayStation VR exclusive, but developer Polyarc has confirmed it won't be tethered to Sony's console any longer. It's finally available on both Oculus Rift and HTC Vive for $30.
'Tetris Effect' is PlayStation's trippy take on the classic puzzle game
If you've been looking for something to whet your appetite after finishing Rez Infinite on PSVR, Sony's got you covered. Tetris Effect is a trippy new project from rhythm game legend Tetsuya Mizuguchi, best known for Rez, Child of Eden and Space Channel 5. There's a lot going on in the short reveal trailer beow, but the game's website has a few descriptions that should help make sense of everything. The game will surround you with "fantastic, fully three-dimensional worlds that react and evolve based on how you play. Music, backgrounds, sounds, special effects -- everything, down to the Tetris pieces themselves, pulse, dance, shimmer and explode in perfect sync with how you're playing."
PlayStation's E3 2018 event heads back to theaters on June 11th
Sony is once again showing its PlayStation E3 event in movie theaters, although this year there's a slight twist. The tech giant has announced that its PlayStation E3 Experience will come to certain screens in the US, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina and Chile on June 11th at 9PM Eastern. Unlike in the past, though, you already have an idea of what to expect: Sony previously teased that you'd see Death Stranding, The Last of Us Part II, Ghost of Tsushima and Marvel's Spider-Man in addition to news from the usual round of third-party studios. You're attending more for the cinematic experience than to be bowled over by surprises, although we're hoping there are a few unexpected twists and turns.
PlayStation’s annual sale includes a very blue PS4 and ‘God of War’
To celebrate E3 once again, Sony is doing another Days of Play promotion for PlayStation. From June 8th through the 18th, you'll be able to pick up a special edition PlayStation 4 console (assuming you're not one of the 75 million-plus who already has one), and deals on a handful of games, services and accessories. The limited edition 1TB PS4 this year is a little more tasteful than the last, trading an all-gold paint job for medium blue with gold accents according to the PlayStation Blog.
Sony says it’s the beginning of the end for PS4
The PS4 era is entering its final stages. Speaking to investors, PlayStation boss John Kodera outlined the company's three-year roadmap and it seems console sales are not expected to be a major source of revenue going forward. This is largely due to declining sales which is, Kodera notes, typical of the usual profit- and life-cycle of consoles. It does also suggest a new console might be on its way -- likely the PS5 -- but Kodera didn't give away any specifics.
'CoolPaintrVR' is PlayStation VR's 3D painting app
PC-based virtual reality has a few applications for creating art, but so far PlayStation VR owners have been left high and dry in that regard. That changes now with CoolPaintrVR from Singular People and WildBit Studios. You can use either a DualShock 4 or PlayStation Move controllers to craft your masterpiece, but the latter will almost assuredly offer the most natural painting experience. As VRFocus points out, in addition to exporting your finished product to USB for sharing, the app will also capture your entire creation session for 3D playback. Interested in getting your hands (virtually) dirty? It'll only set you back $20.
Sony is trying a new format for its E3 press conference
Sony is doing something different for its E3 keynote address this year. Specifically, it'll focus on doing deep dives on a small handful first-party games, rather than unleashing a barrage of trailers. Chairman of Sony's Worldwide Studios Shawn Layden confirmed a "complete new report" for Death Stranding, in addition to more info on Ghosts of Tsushima, Spider-Man and The Last of Us: Part Two. On a new episode of the PlayStation Blogcast, Layden also said that there will be third-party games as well, in addition to indie titles.
A VR quest to make you care about endangered species
Most of us don't think about rhinos on a daily basis. We're too consumed with maintaining inbox-zero or making sure our cat is healthy. When the last male white northern rhino died in March, the impact on most of us was minimal because the now-extinct 2-ton mammal wasn't lumbering around our living rooms. We're gravely concerned the moment Mr. Whiskers starts acting funky, though. That's because he's a part of our everyday environment and, as such, we're emotionally attached to him. This theory is called environmental amnesia. Basically, it's the belief that we don't consider what's going on outside of our immediate surroundings. We think that whatever is happening around us is normal. It's something that Fountain Digital CEO Svetlana Dragayeva thinks virtual reality can help address by showing people how wondrous our planet's creatures can be in an intimate setting -- their homes. "This is where technology can really help us shape new types of [emotional] relationships so that we actually become curious about what's going on in the offline world, and become more involved in saving [it]," she said.
Play tank sim 'Battlezone' without a VR headset May 1st
A few PSVR launch titles, like Here They Lie and EVE: Valkyrie, have gracefully released non-VR versions, and now VR tank sim Battlezone will follow suit. The revival of the same-named 80s classic debuted on the PSVR and was later ported to the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, but now it will shed its vivid virtual world for a two-dimensional version. Battlezone: Gold Edition will be released on PC, PS4, Xbox One on May 1st for $30 -- and later in the summer, it will come to the Nintendo Switch.
Sony cuts PSVR bundle prices worldwide
Sony has announced that it is knocking a massive chunk from the price of its console-powered VR headsets. The new starting price for PlayStation VR will be $299 in the US, €299 in Europe, £259 in the UK and 34,980 Yen in Japan. That's down from $399, €399, £349 and 44,980 Yen, respectively, with bundles also falling by a similar figure. For instance, the Doom VFR package that was $400 in the US and $500 CAD in Canada is now $300 and $380 CAD but comes with the same accessories.
