We finally know when Sony is releasing its new VR headset too. GameStop CEO Paul Raines revealed the PlayStation VR will launch in the third quarter of this year during a live television interview. “We will launch the Sony product this fall,” said Raines, “and we’re in discussions with the other two players.”
The revelation is a huge deal, especially now that the virtual reality market is on the verge of heating up. Until Raines’ interview, we’ve only known that the PlayStation VR would cost “several hundred dollars” and that it would be released in the first half of 2016 according to a Wired report last year. But that timeframe was based on a speculative timeline. Now that we’re further along into the development cycle, it seems clear that a big retailer like GameStop would know exactly when the new VR headset will hit store shelves.
The PlayStation VR launch would actually mirror every major video game console release of the past decade. Sony would begin selling its brand new hardware (in this case, the VR headset) starting in the fall, when gamers are willing to spend more on shiny new hardware. Then, Sony could begin bundling packages for new customers during the holiday season at a discounted rate.
It also helps that Sony has already sold more than 35.9 million PlayStation 4 consoles. Those millions of customers will have a console that’s ready to run high-end virtual reality games on day one of the PlayStation VR launch. By comparison, Oculus and HTC, Sony’s two biggest competitors in virtual reality, will require that new customers buy expensive desktop PCs in order to run their headsets.
For anyone that wants a easy access to high-end, immersive VR gaming, the Sony PlayStation bundle will be an obvious choice. It also doesn’t hurt that Sony owns a movie studio and could quickly and easily license popular titles like Spider-Man and Ghostbusters.
Want it? You gotta wait! 🙂