14 DAY TRIAL // With the Oculus Rift getting close to its official launch date, a lot of fans of the coming virtual reality revolution are eager to hear the plans Sony has for its own PlayStation VR solution and the way it will interact with the PlayStation 4 home console.
A new rumor comes from a Reddit user who claims to have talked to a representative of the company recently, although that person was not speaking on the record, and found out that the plan is to announce a launch price for the VR head-mounted display of 299 dollars or Euro.
Sony is also aiming to deliver a special starter kit associated with the PlayStation VR solution that will also feature a PlayStation Eye camera and special Move controllers that will be sold for about 450 dollars or Euro and might also include one of the games that are specifically designed to showcase the new technology.
The representative has also said that there are long-term plans to support the coming VR video games and that the tech should run even better than it does now on a future home console that introduces improved hardware.
Sony wants to keep the current version of the head-mounted display relevant for as long as possible while also working on a 2.0 version that might arrive with the next iteration of the PlayStation and with a new batch of titles showing off what virtual reality has to offer.
PlayStation VR can become one of the most successful VR solutions of the year because it appeals to those who already own a PS4, an install base of more than 36 million at the moment.
Sony will probably also announce an official bundle that includes both the starter kit and the home console, but it's unclear when an official set of prices and launch plans will be revealed.
The Oculus Rift will start shipping in March
The PlayStation VR solution will only work on the PlayStation 4 and will have to compete with a range of other virtual reality solutions, mostly focused on the PC
The Oculus Rift was initially funded via Kickstarter, and the company was then acquired by Facebook, and the first commercial version of its headset is set to start shipping to those who placed a pre-order in March.
A lot of potential buyers have criticized the company for the fact that the price tag is set at 599 dollars or 699 Euro, which will mean that a limited set of enthusiasts can afford one.
Palmer Luckey, the founder of Oculus Rift, says that he is not making any profit on the hardware and that the VR solution offers a lot of quality for the money that fans are expected to pay for it.
Vive, which is created by HTC and Valve, is set to get an official launch date and its price before the end of the month.
Microsoft is working on its augmented reality solution, the HoloLens, which will work on the Xbox One and the PC.