14 DAY TRIAL // Sony has not offered any sort of official information on the pricing or the launch date for the PlayStation VR virtual reality solution, but a new piece of leaked information is suggesting that gamers might be able to pick one up for about 499 Swiss francs, which is the equivalent of 450 dollars or 400 Euro.
The information comes from a listing on the site of a retailer from Switzerland which is already offering the platform to its customers, although it does not list an official launch date for it.
The shown cost is very close to what analysts are expecting the PlayStation VR to be offered for, a sum that allows a wide variety of gamers to pick up the virtual reality solution that will work only with the PlayStation 4.
Sony is at the moment unwilling to say when its device might arrive or how much it will cost, but the company says that it wants to make it as interesting to potential customers as possible and that more than 100 titles are in development for it.
The PlayStation VR is expected by analysts to sell about 1.9 to 2 million units before the end of the year, which is a solid percentage given the current install base of close to 36 million units for the PlayStation 4.
It's entirely possible that the listing is a mistake and that when Sony delivers an official announcement, it will cause a surprise among its fans, asking them to pay more for the VR solution.
Rumors are also saying that the PlayStation VR will consist of both a headset and another processing unit that delivers the necessary power to run complex virtual reality experiences.
The Oculus Rift is set to sell for 599 dollars or 699 Euro
A 450 dollars or 400 Euro price point for the PlayStation VR would make it the most attractive of the high-end solutions for virtual reality and could give Sony a solid headstart when it comes to overall sales.
The Oculus Rift is at the moment set to retail for a higher price, 599 dollars or 699 Euro, than the fan base was expecting, and the producer says that the first of those who placed a pre-order will be able to get their hands on the platform in March.
HTV and Valve are currently planning to open up the pre-order process for their Vive device, which recently added a forward mounted camera, on February 29 of this year and on that day the price will probably also be revealed, expected around the same value as for the Oculus.
Microsoft is not aiming to offer a VR solution, but recently it has been talking more about its augmented reality device, the HoloLens, which might also make its debut before the end of 2016.
The market for virtual reality and associated devices is a big one, but to generate major sales the involved companies will have to make sure that they reduce the price as quickly as possible while also offering a wide variety of titles for it.