PSVR
Latest
PlayStation boss Andrew House will leave Sony at the end of 2017
In 2011 Andrew House took over a troubled PlayStation brand from Kaz Hirai and has since restored its place as a leader in the gaming industry. Now, Sony has announced he's stepping down from his post as president and CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment. SIE came to be in early 2016, spinning off everything PlayStation and Sony Network as a subsidiary of Sony based in California. According to a press release, he will be replaced by current deputy president John (Tsuyoshi) Kodera effective immediately but will remain in a new position as chairman through the end of the year to smooth the transition. These days the PlayStation 4 family is on top of the sales charts, sports a game library stocked with desirable exclusives and is reaching into new technology like VR. But when House originally took the reins, he had a tough job ahead of him coming off of a disappointing run with the PS3 that included "$599 US dollars" and a hacking incident that took down PlayStation Network for more than a month. House has been with PlayStation since the beginning, working in Sony's marketing and communications department on the launch of the original console, eventually running the PlayStation business in Europe as of 2009.
Sony’s updated PlayStation VR won’t block HDR
It's been almost a year since Sony formally entered the virtual reality arena with the launch of the PlayStation VR (PSVR) headset. In that time, the unit has remained unchanged, but its pricing has slipped slightly, allowing gamers to enjoy popular titles like Superhot VR, Robinson: The Journey and Farpoint. Seemingly out of nowhere, Sony announced today that it's working on an updated version of the headset and that it will come with integrated headphones and HDR passthrough support.
'Eve: Valkyrie' drops the VR requirement
If what's been holding you back from playing Eve: Valkyrie has been the lack of a VR headset, that (very valid) reason has disappeared. In addition to the new subtitle, Warzone, there's a new capture the flag gametype, new ships, ultra abilities and customizations for said ships and a pair of new maps. And, of course, now you can play the game on PC or PlayStation 4 sans an expensive and bulky virtual reality display hanging from your face.
'Neko Atsume' is coming to PlayStation VR in 2018
Neko Atsume was the smartphone hit where you collected and fed cats. That was... mostly it. It also took over the lives of several of my friends, and was huge enough to warrant a movie spin-off in Japan. Apt, then, that Tokyo Game Show is where PlayStation Japan President Atsushi Morita announced a virtual reality version of the cat... feeding.. sim (?), with no more information beyond a 2018 release date on PSVR. But, if I get to role-play as cats, then consider me intrigued.
Chris Redfield is back in free 'Resident Evil 7' DLC this December
We were delighted (and scared silly) playing Resident Evil 7, which turned the franchise around and brought it back to its sinister, horrific roots. The game's first two Banned Footage DLC packs came out mere weeks after the main game launched back in January, but the third additional content pack, End of Zoe, is finally coming out on December 12th. But if you've held off buying the game, Capcom is releasing a gold edition of the title on the same day that loops in all the DLC for an undisclosed price.
PSVR’s crazy ‘Headmaster’ soccer heading game is on PC
With VR going mainstream, families are going to be looking for titles that won't give their kids nightmares. One of the best of those, Headmaster, has only been available on Sony's PlayStation VR until now, but today it arrives to the Oculus Rift and SteamVR in a surprise launch. Described by the developer Frame Interactive as the "bizarre love child of Wii Sports and Portal," it simulates soccer heading (football, if you like) in a surreal, carnival-like "Football Improvement Center."
‘Until Dawn’ studio has two PSVR games for this year
Thank goodness Sony has finally started to bundle required cameras and controllers with its PlayStation VR hardware, but the system still needs more games to compete with the likes the Oculus Rift or HTC Vive. Games like Sparc and Arizona Sunshine are out already, of course, and Skyrim is apparently on its way, but the PlayStation's library still has fewer games than its competitors. Luckily, Supermassive Games is bringing two new titles to the PSVR experience soon, with psychological horror game The Inpatient launching November 21st and team military shooter Bravo Team releasing December 5th.
Sony's $400 PSVR bundle finally includes the required camera
Much of Sony's advantage with the PSVR was that it was the cheapest way to get (non-cardboard) virtual reality into your home. Now that Oculus has dropped the price of its bundle, that advantage is evaporating. In response, Sony has added the required PlayStation Camera to its core bundle and kept the $399 price tag. But for the full experience, you'll need a pair of Move motion controller wands. Sony has a bundle for that as well, but it'll set you back $449 starting September 1st. And if you want the best PSVR experience, you'll need to pony up for a $400 PlayStation 4 Pro.
'Fallout,' 'Doom' and 'Skyrim' will launch in VR this year
The biggest beef for VR gamers is the lack of, well, VR games. That's about to change soon thanks to Bethesda, which revealed that all three of the VR titles it announced previously will be coming to the Playstation VR and HTC Vive by the end of the year. And those titles should have you salivating: Doom VFR arrives on December 1st to the PSVR and HTC Vive, Fallout 4 VR hits the Vive on December 12th, and Skyrim VR will land on the PSVR on November 17th.
‘EVE: Valkyrie’ won’t require VR come September
EVE: Valkyrie was one of the first games Oculus used to show off one of its Rift prototypes, and since 2014, the game has been associated exclusively with virtual reality. That's changing. The game's "Warzone" update will strip the VR headset requirement, allowing anyone with a PlayStation 4 or powerful enough PC to play the game. If you're keeping track at home, that means true cross-platform multiplayer is here; you'll be able to battle folks on HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, PC, PS4 and PSVR.
The best VR headsets and accessories for dorms
We'll be the first to admit that a virtual-reality session isn't terribly conducive to bonding with new friends in the dorm. But, hey, a few of us here at Engadget are introverts, so you don't need to explain to us the value of strapping on a headset and momentarily blocking out the stress of classes and meeting new people. Included in our back-to-school guide are many of the usual suspects, like the Oculus Rift, PlayStation VR and Daydream View. We also recommend the optional Rift and Gear VR controllers, as well as games like Rock Band VR and Farpoint. Enjoy your escape from the real world, but remember to take a social break from time to time.
‘EVE: Valkyrie’ studio's 'Sparc' hits PSVR on August 29th
CCP Games announced last month that it would be following up its popular EVE: Valkyrie VR game with the Tron-like VR sport title Sparc. Today, the studio announced it'll come out for PlayStation VR on August 29th for $30.
Zombie shooter 'Arizona Sunshine' invades PSVR
When zombie apocalypse VR game Arizona Sunshine came out for SteamVR and the Oculus Rift last year, it quickly became the game everyone name-checked when talking about good VR. The game went on to sell more than more than $1.4 million in first month after release. It also won the VR Game of the Year award from Upload VR. Now, the immersive shooter is headed to Sony's popular PlayStation VR headset on Tuesday, June 27th.
Relive 'Tron' disc battles when 'Sparc' launches first on PSVR
Have you wanted to relive Tron's light disc battles through CCP Games' Sparc (aka Project Arena)? You're about to get your chance... although you may have to switch platforms to get it soon. CCP has revealed that Sparc will launch in the third quarter of the year for PlayStation VR. The developer stresses that this is only a temporary exclusive (it's arriving "first" on PSVR), but that still means you'll have to forego any near-term dreams of virtual arena battles on your Vive.
Polyarc's VR game 'Moss' is a 'Zelda'-esque mousey adventure
In September 2016, a trio of ex-Destiny and Halo developers raised $3.5 million in seed money from overseas developers to create a new studio, Polyarc, dedicated to making virtual reality content. We know what their first big project will be: On Sony's PlayStation stage at E3, the company released a trailer and gave hands-on time for its upcoming VR game Moss.
'Superhot' is coming to PlayStation VR
Just last year, Superhot VR came out for PC and consoles with a fancy new game mechanic: Time moves only when you do. The virtual-reality version came out for Oculus Rift last October with a couple of twists -- chiefly, the player stays in one place while the enemies advance. In the PlayStation pre-show today, the company announced that Superhot VR will be coming to Sony's PSVR system "in a couple of weeks."
We're live from Sony's E3 2017 keynote!
At this year's E3, Microsoft and Sony have different approaches. As tradition dictates, Xbox got out of the gates first yesterday, but the console (and that "Scorpio" upgrade) had more to prove than PlayStation, which has been leading the market for several years now. So what will Sony's 2017 plans involve? If the past few years are any indication, the company will probably stay focused completely on the games. We reckon we'll hear news about the next Uncharted, hopefully something about that Last Of Us sequel, and an update on how Kratos is faring as a father in the next God Of War. Oh, and PlayStation VR: How's that doing?
Apple is the perfect anti-VR test case
Apple shined a dull spotlight on virtual reality during its WWDC keynote yesterday, introducing VR support for macOS and a beefed-up, VR-capable version of the new iMac. This marks Apple's first real dive into VR, and, honestly, it's too little, too late. The potential of modern VR has been looming over the technology industry for nearly five years now, exciting consumers and prompting plenty of companies to develop their own support systems and hardware for this strange new virtual world. But until yesterday, it was impossible to natively develop or even run VR experiences on an Apple machine. The first instance of built-in VR support for macOS developers comes about a year after Google, Facebook, Samsung, HTC and Sony actually put their VR headsets on stores shelves, and Apple hasn't hinted that it's working on any proprietary hardware. Apple's nod to VR, one year late, feels like a lackluster reaction to an evolving industry rather than a prescient foray into a new and thrilling technological landscape. It feels a lot like Apple doesn't believe in VR.
Recommended Reading: What if there were a PBS of social networks?
The Case for a Taxpayer-Supported Version of Facebook Ethan Zuckerman, The Atlantic What if there were a publicly-funded social network open to all that provided a diverse world view rather than an echo chamber catered to one's deeply-held principles? Sounds like a great idea. The Atlantic makes the case for the PBS of social networks, including why it's needed and what it might look like.
'EVE: Valkyrie' takes space battles to the ground in new update
CCP has revealed that it's bringing ground-level skirmishes to EVE: Valkyrie for the first time. Announced during a Keynote at CCP's annual EVE Fanfest, new map Solitude sees players battling it out on a remote planet as they weave their way through tight-knit passageways. Thankfully, the new map won't cost players a penny, coming as a part of the game's fifth free update : 'Groundrush'. Aside from Solitude, the patch will also add more variety to Valkyrie's Weekly Wormhole events as well as making previously competitive-only modes Carrier Assault and Control, co-op. PC owners will be pleased to hear that the patch also adds in Steam Controller support.
