The year 2016 has clearly made virtual reality (VR) a big thing to watch out for, with the impending coming of the Oculus Rift and the Google Cardboard.
The two mentioned headsets are on the brink of being released, which poses the question on when Sony will release its own version in the PlayStation VR.
There were initial rumors that Sony could be releasing the much awaited VR piece until an interview with GameStop CEO Paul Raines by Fox spoiled all that. Rather than the 2016 first half release, Sony will allegedly be revealing the PlayStation VR by fall.
The revelation may have been accidental, with Raines trying to divert the attention to another topic when he made that claim. It would later on be clarified by GameStop via IGN that Sony had not revealed an actual release date for the PlayStation VR, which somehow casts doubts on what the real score.
Timing is essential as well for the release of the headset. Seeing that the third quarter is usually the season when gamers would spend big bucks, it somehow makes sense.
But how will it fare in the market should it indeed come out in fall?
One thing that Sony may do is bundle it with their gaming consoles. That should be the perfect marketing strategy if the company is to pull one over its rivals.
The only thing is it lacks the power when placed alongside the Oculus Rift. The Sony PlayStation VR will bank more on a customized graphics processing unit (GPU) closer to Nvidia GeForce GTX 660, while the Oculus Rift will use something higher such as the Nvidia GeForce GTX 970.
While no official price has been mentioned for the SonyPlaystation VR, the Oculus Rift is expected to be more expensive and would require the purchase of a separate personal computer (PC).
Worth noting as well is that the Oculus Rift can be upgraded while the Sony PlayStation VR cannot.
Depending on what gamers would be looking for, it should be an interesting year for the realm of virtual reality.
