PlayStation VR is an affordable introduction to quality VR, and offers great games and immersive experiences.
PlayStation VR launched in 2016, and for the longest time, it held the record as the best-selling VR headset ever released. Why shell out for a high-performing, room-tracking, PC-tethered headset from an Oculus Rift S or HTC Vive Pro 2 when you can plug something into the console under your telly?
As of January 2020, Sony revealed it had shifted more than five million PSVR systems (opens in new tab) after previously confirming 21.9 million VR games and apps sold (opens in new tab) alongside the headset. But even removing sales from the equation, the PlayStation VR has become a game-changing piece of hardware in more ways than one.
Sony’s continuing to boost its VR offerings over the coming years, and PSVR 2 isn’t far away. But in the meantime, anyone using the original PSVR can still get a free adapter to use on the new console. Otherwise, here’s what you need to know about the original PSVR.PlayStation VR and barriers to VR
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves, the current PlayStation VR headset brings the world of virtual reality to your console in a big way. And what really sets it apart from the rest is that it does so without the cost most often associated with rival higher-end VR headsets, like the HTC Vive or Oculus Rift.
Because although these higher-end headsets cost more to run, you also need a pricey gaming PC that can power them, which is a huge barrier to entry for most people. Here’s what you need to know about PSVR.
For this reason (and many more, as we’ll get into) the PlayStation VR virtual reality headset is still going strong nearly six years after its initial release. That has changed as VR companies venture into more affordable products, like the Oculus Quest 2, but PSVR is still one of the best VR headsets for your money.
And Sony is certainly serious about virtual reality. We’ve had solid evidence that it’s committed to VR development by the best PlayStation VR games that released, and those yet to come. To cap it all off, a revised headset released in late 2017, which addressed the original headset’s lack of HDR-passthrough, plus better audio and improved comfort. The future’s bright for Sony’s VR gear.PlayStation VR versus the rest
For now at least, the PlayStation VR is truly different to anything else on the market. While Oculus Rift has closed in on the cost disparity, the PSVR only requires a PS4 console to run, not an expensive PC setup. The Oculus Go doesn’t offer the immersive gaming quality the PSVR does. Different story for Oculus Quest 2, though. Go was a good VR intro for many — it’s now discontinued — but it doesn’t match up.
When you think about it, it really is remarkable that the affordable PSVR solution is as capable as it is. It has its problems, but by and large the PlayStation VR proves that not only is console VR viable, it’s actually enjoyable, too.
We’ve now tried dozens of games on the PlayStation VR console, from Rocksteady’s impressive (but short) Batman: Arkham VR, to the laugh-out-loud funny Job Simulator, to the tear-jerking Wayward Sky and even gun-peripheral-toting horror game Farpoint VR. Some of these titles were more fun than others, obviously, but all of them made the same point: PSVR doesn’t suck.
Before we go on talking about PlayStation VR’s finer points (and foibles), let’s get the basics out of the way.
At launch, the PlayStation VR headset had a slightly confusing sales proposition.
