01 July
Virtual reality looks set to be one of the in-demand new technologies of 2016 after pre-orders of Sony's PlayStation VR headset sold out "within minutes" in the US, says GameSpot.
This was the second and last round of pre-orders, after an initial wave in in March, and uptake was swift enough to clear the books.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Latest Videos FromThe Week
Unlucky gamers in the US will now have to wait for the PlayStation VR's official retail launch on 13 October – assuming, says Ubergizmo, stores have any in their inventory. The site believes many potential buyers will have trouble getting their hands on a headset when they go on sale, hence the frenzied online scramble for a pre-order spot.
Forbes adds that the launch is sure to be interesting. Given that rival PC-based headsets such as the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift have had launch stumbles and setbacks, it wouldn't be surprising to see if the supply chain issues Sony has already warned of come true and there's a lack of headsets on shop shelves, it says.
Alternatively, adds the site, as Sony is such a giant in consumer electronics, it could deliver something VR technology has yet to see - an actual launch.
PlayStation VR is tipped to be much bigger commercially than the Vive or the Rift. More than 40 million gamers have already invested in the PS4 console the headset is used on and at £349, Sony's effort comes in substantially cheaper than the other two big devices on the market.
As such, WCCF Tech picks up a report predicting the company could shift up to six million PlayStation VR headsets in 2016, compared to 2.3 million Rift and 700,000 Vive headsets.
What does the US pre-order situation mean for UK gamers? According to Metro, it means shortages "are likely".
The set can be pre-ordered in Britain through stores such as Amazon and Game, but it's unknown what Sony's stock situation is.
PlayStation VR: Price revealed ahead of October launch
16 March
Sony's foray into the rapidly expanding virtual reality headset market will go on sale in October at a price that drastically undercuts rival devices.
At £349, the PlayStation VR is £150 cheaper than the Oculus Rift, which has a price tag of £499, and more than £300 cheaper than the £689 HTC Vive. It's also considerably cheaper than the £549 that was leaked back in January on Amazon, reports the Daily Telegraph.
The price should see it outsell the other two devices, despite being less advanced, with 1.6 million sales predicted before the year is out, says the BBC.
It's developed for a more accessible platform, too, operating with a PS4 console. The Rift and the Vive rely on users owning a "relatively high-end PC", a trade-off for the expected higher performance and more immersive experiences.
The PlayStation VR has a resolution of 960 x 1080 pixels per eye, with a 100 degree field of view and 3D audio capabilities, while its rivals have sharper 1200 x 2160 resolutions and 110 degree viewing angles.
However, Sony has delivered a headset capable of 120 frames per second (fps) compared to the standard 90. Many gamers claim they cannot tell the difference once fps begins to edge towards 100 but with the added immersion VR headsets bring, some may find the PlayStation version is slightly smoother than its rivals.
There will also be more than 50 compatible games available for the launch, adds the Telegraph, including a new Star Wars: Battlefront title optimised for use with the headset.
As for the exact date the headset will go on sale, Sony boss Shawn Layden told Time magazine, that hadn't been nailed down yet, but an October date will be revealed shortly.
