PlayStation Should Take The Future Of VR (Gaming) Away From Meta

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Important Notes:
-On PSVR2-PC Compatibility:
A day after I initially published this video (via Patreon), Sony announced they are testing the ability for PSVR 2 players to access games on PC (link below). It’s an ambiguous if interesting announcement. (And it’s possible what they’re working on may not actually constitute ‘compatibility’.) I wanted to dive a little deeper into PSVR2-PC compatibility because, depending on a few factors, I think this could potentially be another good move for PlayStation. I didn’t discuss this more in the video because I don’t have the technical knowledge to know how compatibility would work or if it would even be possible. I reached out to people who might know but wasn’t able to get quotes I could use in the video. I do wonder, though, how many PCVR users would upgrade to PSVR 2 if it were enabled, or how many people would be willing to drop $1k on PS5/PSVR 2 that don’t have either right now. That’s a lot of speculative questions and the larger point is: I’m unsure of how the market would shake out in that regard, but compatibility also isn’t essential to the video’s main point.
-Also, maybe I was a little too harsh on PlayStation’s current VR efforts?
I may have bought into VR pessimism more than I realized. PlayStation is in a transitional moment right now (mobile, live-service). It’s not that I think those strategies are good (I don’t) but more so that if PlayStation is focused on trying to jump onto the mobile/live-service trains, it would make sense that VR would drop pretty far as a priority. I could be wrong there, and I hope I am. And maybe their recent compatibility (or whatever it is) announcement signals they’re doing something similar to what I suggest in the video?
-PlayStation is doing something with PSVR 2 and PC:
blog.playstation.com/2024/02/...
Links:
-Omdia
omdia.tech.informa.com/pr/202...
-GamesIndustry.biz Analyst Predictions
www.gamesindustry.biz/new-har...
-Ubisoft Backs Away From VR
www.eurogamer.net/ubisoft-bac...
-Reality Labs Posts Record Loss
www.cnbc.com/2024/02/01/metas...
-Meta’sVR/AR Plans
www.theverge.com/2023/2/28/23...
-PS5 Surpasses 50 Million
www.theverge.com/2023/12/20/2...
-Axios Interview w/Herman Hulst
www.axios.com/2022/10/04/play...
-Sony Acquires Insomniac
www.polygon.com/2019/8/19/208...
-Vale’s Steam VR 2.0
www.theverge.com/2023/9/25/23...
-Meta Metaverse Show
• The Metaverse and How ...
-Xbox Games Coming To PS5/Switch
www.theverge.com/2024/2/15/24...
-PS5 Entering Latter Years
kotaku.com/ps5-playstation-5-...
-PSVR 2-PC Compatibility Details
www.videogameschronicle.com/n...
-PSVR 2/Quest 3 Holiday Sales
www.roadtovr.com/quest-psvr-2...
-Sony Delays Live-Service Games
www.gameinformer.com/news/202...
Footage:
-Meta’s Metaverse Presentation
-Lies Beneath Trailer
-Resident Evil 8 VR
-Stormland
-Horizon: Call of the Mountain
-PSVR 2, Quest 2 and Quest 3, AC: Nexus Trailers
-The Last of Us
-Uncharted 3
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[@TheGamingDiscourse]

Important Notes: -On PSVR2-PC Compatibility: A day after I initially published this video (via Patreon), Sony announced they are testing the ability for PSVR 2 players to access games on PC (link below). It’s an ambiguous if interesting announcement. (And it’s possible what they’re working on may not actually constitute ‘compatibility’.) I wanted to dive a little deeper into PSVR2-PC compatibility because, depending on a few factors, I think this could potentially be another good move for PlayStation. I didn’t discuss this more in the video because I don’t have the technical knowledge to know how compatibility would work or if it would even be possible. I reached out to people who might know but wasn’t able to get quotes I could use in the video. I do wonder, though, how many PCVR users would upgrade to PSVR 2 if it were enabled, or how many people would be willing to drop $1k on PS5/PSVR 2 that don’t have either right now. That’s a lot of speculative questions and the larger point is: I’m unsure of how the market would shake out in that regard, but compatibility also isn’t essential to the video’s main point. -Also, maybe I was a little too harsh on PlayStation’s current VR efforts? I may have bought into VR-pessimism more than I realized. PlayStation is in a transitional moment right now (mobile, live-service). It’s not that I think those strategies are good (I don’t) but more so that if PlayStation is focused on trying to jump onto the mobile/live-service trains, it would make sense that VR would drop pretty far as a priority. I could be wrong there, and I hope I am. And maybe their recent compatibility (or whatever it is) announcement signals they’re doing something similar to what I suggest in the video? -PlayStation is doing something with PSVR 2 and PC: blog.playstation.com/2024/02/22/coming-soon-to-ps-vr2-zombie-army-vr-little-cities-bigger-wanderer-the-fragments-of-fate-the-wizards-dark-times-brotherhood-and-more/

[@skittzoeheartless2778]

I own 117 games on psvr. And around 6 on quest. But im really upset with psvr2. The headset is very uncomfortable. And the biggest problem with it. Is not having replacement controllers available. If one breaks. You have to buy a whole new headset. I stopped buying games for my psvr2. Until I start seeing replacement controllers. I have been gaming 40 years. And controllers go out. This is like buying a car with permanent tires. Once you get a flat you need a new car. I don't care if the controllers are $70 each. I want replacements! And physical copies of games. I like having something to show for my hard earned money. So if sony is going all digital. I feel i might as well go with quest. I want physical copies of games. So when they suck i can get some of my money back. And copyrights end on digitals. Look at ps5 digital version of avengers. Its gone. Paid $70 for it. Gone forever. Now its printed on disk. Because something happened to the PlayStation store deluxe version. Thats only one of hundreds. I was Midway through the game. When it got locked one. And contacting sony is impossible anymore.

[@potatoglizzy3212]

From the sounds of things you will still need a PS5 to use PC VR with the PSVR2, basically meaning you would need an expensive rig capable of PC VR, a $500 console and a $600 headset that despite having some nice features, is genuinely unusable for some people (my hands don't fit in the controllers and the small sweet spot gives me headaches and eye strain in literal minutes). As much as it is interesting news if this turns out to be the case, there is no way Sony could compete with products like the Bigscreen Beyond and Pimax Crystal what with the price to quality difference. Given that the quest 3 is miles cheaper, standalone, can connect wirelessly or via link and has a bigger library, I don't see Sony increasing their VR market share anytime soon.

[@sucotronic]

As an owner of ps5, I recently purchased a used quest 2 instead of psvr2, mostly because of price, but the "convenience" of the meta one it the best bet in the broad VR gaming market. Not having to be tethered to anything makes it easy to use and show to other people who never tried VR before. As you say, meta is more focused in the social aspect of VR, but I'm sure they'll support games as long as they get meaningful money from it ;)

[@retrostansolo]

You say Meta isn't a gaming company but Sony wasn't when it first came out with ps 1 and relied on 3rd party development to grow its platform so the same can be said about Meta and even Microsoft xbox. Sony's psvr2 setup is just over priced for the market, Ps5 £\$ 550.00 and psvr 2 £\$ 550.00.....1000.00 +. The average gamer is just not going to pay that to get into vr.

[@waldir13]

PS and Xbox didn't start out as gaming companies too. Thats not a valid reason to say they cant do gaming department.

[@Jake-Jake]

"franchise" it is called exclusivity or slavery, which I don't have a problem with, if the hardware is free, Suckenberg said I needed to have a facebook account to continue to use my oculus, a year later, I was told to upgrade to Meta to continue to use hardware "I payed for", not "suck"...so i said FU and moved on ...the solution is dissolution...

[@Phreno_Xeno]

VR will never catch on. In a few years there'll be nothing to take. Sony is better off using the VR budget on developing proper games.

[@potatoglizzy3212]

LOL! Clown.