PlayStation VR: Launching October for $399

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PlayStation VR: Launching October for $399

With the annual Game Developers Conference in full swing, I’m pleased to give you an exciting update on PlayStation VR. Today, we are announcing that the PlayStation VR headset will launch in October of this year for a suggested retail price of USD $399 / CAD $549.

PlayStation VR

That is a bit later than the timeframe we previously stated, and I want to thank everyone for their patience and continued support. PlayStation VR represents a transformative experience in gaming, and we wanted to take the time needed to launch with a broad variety of content and a sufficient supply of hardware. We are beyond excited to deliver to consumers the amazing experience that PS VR offers.

I’m also pleased to reveal the final consumer version of PS VR, including all of the contents that will come in the package.

PlayStation VR

Today more than 230 developers are building content for PlayStation VR, from smaller independent teams to larger studios at the industry’s top publishers. We expect to have more than 50 games available from launch in October 2016 until the end of the year. Of course, the full promise of PlayStation VR will continue to grow over time as talented developers create new experiences and new genres that wouldn’t be possible outside of VR. The future looks bright indeed.

Additionally, The Playroom VR, from our very own Japan Studio, will be available as a free download from PlayStation Store for all PS VR owners at launch. The Playroom VR will include six games that can be enjoyed with friends and family, demonstrating why we believe VR can also be an impactful experience when it’s shared.

With PlayStation VR, the future of gaming is almost here. We’re excited to share more with you as we head into launch later this year.

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312 Comments

  • Without the camera

  • i am not to happy about 550$ cad price ! i was happy about it until this! this cant be true! why 150$ more?

    • 550 Canadian Dollar equals
      411.86 US Dollar

      Also, if it makes you feel better, we are actually getting a deal on any game that has the same price in US and Canada, easily getting back our US$12 difference.

  • I will be there day 1! Playstation VR is guaranteed to be a hot seller this holiday season!

    What games are you going to get with your PSVR? I’ll definitely be getting EvE:Valkyrie, Battlezone, XING: The Land Beyond, Dead Secret, No Man’s Sky (VR support is expected), and possibly RiGS. And I’ll probably get a handful of indie titles as well if the prices are right!

    My fingers are crossed that the ‘Cinema Mode’ has a virtual cinema rather than simply a floating screen. I can imagine playing much more than simply VR games while wearing my headset! Private theater here I come!

  • I don’t see it being physically possible, but if this supported the Gold Wireless Headset, that would be fantastic. I see the earbuds in the picture, which means your head will be weighed down less, but combining fantastic sound with VR would be fairly incredible.

    • I would fully expect that the official wireless headphones would be supported. There’s no real reason why they couldn’t be — a tiny bit of audio latency shouldn’t hurt the experience at all.

  • $549 Canadian!? I was excited about the $399 US price, but as a Canadian there is no way I am going to spend $549. This price will increase significantly with taxes, accessories, and games.

    You are probably eating money producing this piece of hardware to get it to the $399 price point. I feel you are not doing this for Canadian consumers. $450-499 Canadian would be more acceptable than $549. Especially when $399 US equals $532 Canadian today (March 15, 2016). I can understand the Canadian dollar has been struggling but this is not a fair conversion rate. A lot can change with the dollar before the October 2016 release but I strongly urge you to reconsider the Canadian price.

    • A bit of context for everyone. When the PS4 launched in November 2013 the US AND Canadian price was $399. In March 2014 Sony raised the price of the PS4 to $450 (luckily I bought my system at a midnight launch event). This is understandable due to the change in market. The Canadian dollar has continued to struggle further since this time but the price of the PS4 hasn’t changed much. A comparable price for the 500 GB system in Canada is now $429, while in the US it is $349. $349 US equals $466. Canadians are benefiting on PS4 sales but are getting gouged for PSVR.

      Also, Canadians are playing more for games, controllers, and other accessories. At least those prices have fair conversion rates.

      Once again, Sony please reconsider the Canadian price. I know this is a very difficult decision for you with many things to account for but I strongly feel you made the wrong pricing decision.

      Thanks.

    • $17 is going to keep you from buying it, really? More launch units for the rest of us I guess.

    • @otaku – More like $550 is going to prevent them from buying it. And if Sony is smart, they already know it’s going to flop in Canada at that price, and will ship most units elsewhere like the US.

    • The current conversion difference is around $17, but remember that the dollar can still fluctuate in either direction, and that Sony is a profit turning business. It is also *much* easier to lower the retail cost rather than to raise it.

      As a Canadian, I fully expect these prices due to the state of the dollar. I also expect this to sell remarkably well: this will be a *must have* item for teens and young adults this holiday season, and Sony has positioned the launch date perfectly to coincide with the holiday demand. Even with the $549CAD price, it will surely sell many units and likely sell-out!

      I’m sorry that you will not get an opportunity to own a PSVR this holiday, but I only expect the price to move down, so keep watching for those sales!

      I will be pre-ordering the PSVR and buying a camera very soon to ensure that I am able to play on the day of release. I’m so ready for VR!

  • Surely they must be designing new Move controllers, while still supporting the older ones. Looking at close up pics of the controllers in their booth at GDC, you can see the ones on display still have the old PS3 era micro-usb fat charging ports. At the very least I expect a refresh with the more standard PS4 micro usb, but I’m holding out for a new design as well. Maybe a power glove type accessory…

  • BEYOND.

  • Since we’ve waiting longer than we expected now (which I saw coming and Gamestop was right) I hope that means Robinson The Journey, EVE Valkyrie, Dead Secret and RIGS are launch titles

  • How People can buy this think!? there’s no guaranty of support by Sony… Just Think About VITA.

  • Also tahst way too many wires that mess is gonan be all over the place…

  • 400 dollar price tag that’s almost a new console price.

  • did they announce if it’s pc compatible? also do i have to buy the camera if so how much? starting to look like i will buy oculus rift instead for $140 more.

    • Not pc compatible and if your pc can run oculus rift then you shoyld be able to afford both :). I purchased new alienware rift bundle at best buy pre order As well as pre-ordered HTC Vive at $900 after shipping and taxes on the vive $30 ahipping and $70 taxes here in California. So $399 is a wonderfull and affordable Vr Headset.

  • Looks good and the price is roughly what most people think it would be. keep in mind that the PS Camera is not included.

  • Sony, love your things BUT PLEASE BRING DOWN THE PRICES. Tbh, us Canadians are not going to buy it. I was willing to buy it between 3-400. I get that the doller is down but if you do manage to bring it down to like 450 then I’ll be glad to give you my money. Yes to me the 100 doller does make a difference. Please do this before another great device loses. I really want this to succeed compare to the vita which failed. Please support this hardcore. I want to see this succed. I know you have faith in this as I do also I bought the camera like a year ago so I can get this. Trust me, you bring this down, you will make a lot of money and also the reason the ps4 sold so well is cause, let’s face it. It’s cheap :)

  • Perfect! I will totally buy this. Already have two Move Controllers and the PS4 Camera. Pleasantly surprised by the size of the external processing unit. This is gonna be fun!

    On a side note. I would like to know if developers would be allowed to use the external processing unit for traditional games. Adding an option to their games for those with or without PSVR. That option being 900p @ 30fps or 1080p @ 60fps respectively. Depending on combined power of PS4 & PSVR processing unit, maybe some games could output even a little above 1080p @ 60fps.

    On one last, unrelated, side note. PlayStation… Talk to Sony. Make them understand how good for the gaming community, as a whole, Cross Network Play is. You guys have don’t great with PS & PC, but now is the time to open up to all networks. Let developers decide which networks can play with which. I’m guessing the majority will go with everyone. Who doesn’t want a bigger pool of online players within a games community?

  • drool

  • I’ll pass on this after seeing how Sony handle the PS Move, PlayStation TV and PS Vita.

    • i agree i will pass too.remember how hot was 3d gaming not so long ago?

    • Then why are you reading this article???!! I get you never purchased either of the Ps move ps vita and definetely not the playstation tv so stop trolling already!

  • Sounds good to me. Right where I expected the price to be. I’m looking forward to jumping in!

  • LOL ^^ i love you Sony but why you don’t love Canadian people ^^ i understand the money have change with US and CAD but in the end of the month my paid it’s the same ^^ so with the money of this peripheral i can buy another system maybe a …. one ^^

  • Assuming I am gainfully employed in October…. DAY 1 PURCHASE!

  • $399 US is about $530 CAN but that changes if our dollar drops below 70 cents again. As for the camera I already have one, it would have sucked for me if the psvr was $60 more with the camera packed in. Ill be getting the PSVR; with the OR being over $800 CAN + new video card + new CPU.

  • $549 Canadian? Sony you are out of your mind. You’ve just killed VR with that ridiculous price point.

  • I’m getting it.

  • YES!!! I’m so buying this.

  • It’s a hard sell at that price point. Out the gate if it serves as a Gigantic 3D Movie Viewer and the battery life runs long and doesn’t drain in such a short time period, it may have a chance while all Triple A Companies climb on board. Cause I would not buy it if it’s only for indy type games.

    • It doesn’t run on batteries, I’m pretty sure it has a constant power source. Were batteries every mentioned in the specs?

    • Hdmi cables are the power source lmao batteries???!!! Really guys???! Wow I’m truly baffled at sone of these Noob questions. I thinkmthey should qualify consumers prior to selling them VR.

  • I was wondering if I could watch regular tv with this

  • I, like many others in this comment section simply cannot afford this device at $550. It’s unfortunate that the Canadian dollar has seen such a drop in the last few years when games were 1:1 in price with the US on the PS4 launch. The video game markets prices have shot up considerably for us in the last few years and we aren’t magically making more wages to compensate so regretfully I will have to not purchase this product unless our dollar drastically recovers.

  • Nice! I wish it was coming out sooner though.

  • That’s a great price … I’m in!

  • so do you need the camera and the move equipment for this to work? or can you use the controller? Seems like a great idea, can’t wait to try it.

  • Where can I pre-order? Amazon has a link but I can’t order it from there yet.

  • I will stick to my classics and my favorite way to play games is on the sofa with my friends!!!

  • So if the processor unit plugs into one of the PS4’s 2 usb ports and the PS camera occupies the other, where can we plug the usb transmitter for the Gold wireless headphones (or any pair for that matter)?

    I always thought the PS4 should have a third usb port on the back. Though I could see it included in the next hardware revision.

    • Never mind..

      After doing some research I found out that the camera doesn’t actually occupy a usb port. It gets plugged into the proprietary port on the back.

      A third usb port would still be welcome though.

  • I really think this is expeincive and that even though you need it high try to get it lowered just please.

  • Andrew, you gotta learn to drop the mic after an announcement like this. a VR headset that also doubles as a private 1080p Large OLED TV for your normal PS4 games = $399. Good stuff!

  • it better be a very long cable lol … am exited for this, just not the price. In Canada, but that’s the exchange … what can you do =/

  • Sorry I don’t want to pay $399 to play Pong on PlayStation VR because considering the game coming out on PS4 nobody is even putting out game up to PS4 hardware we have had some but for the most they look & play like cell phone games & now Sony wants me to fork out 400 more no thanks

  • Canadian here.

    Also owner of a DK2.

    To all those that complain about $18 off the exchange rate: Most of you never tried nor used VR. If you did, you would see the value of the deal, even if more expensive than a console in Canada.

    Besides, even if you were going to buy a PS4 + PSVR + Camera + moves + games it is still going to be cheaper than buying an Oculus CV1 – never mind the computer needed to drive it.

    I have not tried the PSVR headset, however based on my use of the DK2, I can guarantee that it is a game changer and is a bran new (and very addictive I might say) era of presenting, telling and playing stories.

    For those that tried the GearVR, or any of the Google Cardboard ecosystem those only hint at the versatility and game changing deployment of good VR – Which I fully believe that the PS4 is capable of doing.

    In the end, it is about the same price as the US one, and while I would have preferred a lower price, being a Canadian I am no more special or unique than my continental counterparts and no more entitled to a better deal than anyone else.

    I for one will gladly spend the 550 + Ontario tax when available if only EBgames could get their acts together and open preorders…

  • What is that smell..? Smells like a Vita… A wonderful platform that soon Sony will forget the existence in the western market.
    Don’t come near me with this thing. Sony and Playstation ruined a wonderful console. I wonder how long can the VR last.

  • Definitely a day one purchase for me! :) I am signed up to receive an email as soon as it is available for pre order on Amazon. :)

  • I’d rather have a 4k capable PS4 than this hardware…

    perhaps call it PS4k ;)

  • Yes. Finally. Please don’t hesitate to share more details about cinema mode. You nailed it in terms of price point.

  • I needs a glove where you can feel objects in the VR world maybe small magnets that pull metal dust to where you feel it

  • or small bbs

  • Thank God. Thank you so freakin’ much, Sony! It was really looking like Oculus/Facebook and Valve/HTC were dooming VR – like the 90’s never happened, and they couldn’t easily look at how the price points for every piece of gaming hardware over $400 completely doomed it. Jeez louise; VR was looking to end up like a stupid nerdy fad thanks to those morons – but now there’s an actual viable hope for the technology! And thank you for not bundling junk in that’s unnecessary; let us pick it up later on — I’m still super ****ed at Facebook for bundling in that stupid XBone controller (I, like all other gamers on PC, have our own controllers already, goons. Tacking that on is just another $50-100 bucks added to the price). Between this price point and the PS4 camera going for, like, 40 bucks, this is absolutely something tons of people will end up getting! Seriously, THANK GOD! This very exciting technology almost got doomed before it got started thanks to greedy idiots at Facebook and Valve.

  • Aside from the steep price for Canadian purchasers, my other concern is the length of cables (or lackthereof). I once considered buying the PS4 camera, only to find out that the cable length was long enough to reach my PS4, which is in another room (my TV cables are behind my walls). I searched the internet and there seems a provider in the UK which sells the adapter cable, but it’s only 6 ft long (I need about 20 ft), let alone expensive.

    The pictures of the PS VR seem to indicate that there will be lots of cables as well, so I wonder what Sony will do about it. However, most people have a basic setup where the PS4 is in the living room, so I won’t be surprised if Sony don’t sell any extensions at all.

  • You know what would be cool? Life is Strange on Playstation VR. Or what about Journey, The Unfinished Swan, Alien Isolation, Outlast… imagine all the possibilities.

  • I’m very interested, but I want to see some more detail on the games. Playroom is the only use I’ve got out of my camera, Heavy rain is about the only use I’ve had for my move controllers, and my poor little powerhouse of a vita has been reduced to a platform where I can get the same games cheaper on my phone. For this buy in price it needs to be console quality and not gimmick games like we have got with move and PS cameras. Need good games up front and people will buy, but I am afraid this will go the way of vita where there is amazing hardware and they don’t support it because people didn’t get on board right away and they quit making games for it.

  • Looking forward to October! Definitley a day one purchase for me. Is there any plans to adding PS VR games to PlayStation Plus line up it would be great to get some new VR titles each month as part of our subscription. Also I know that you have announced the cinema mode, but I am wandering if this will include 3D support? Can I play a 3D Bluray or watch a 3D movie on the Vudu app in 3D using the VR Display?

  • OMG $399! Thats what I paid for my Limited Edition Star Wars PS4 Bundle, where the controller is really Limited (not like that Black Ops 3 one that you can buy separatly). Even though its cheaper and doesnt require a GeForce 900 series like the other ones do its still too much! I thought it was gonna be around the $200 range…

    • Will be soon. This will follow the footsteps of PlayStation TV. :)

    • Why would it be around the $200 range? But more importantly how did you come up with that SUM? what would justify the Oculus Rift witha 2 Billion dollar backing of a $599 price and luckey (creator of oculus) himself stated that the $599 was a subsidized price! Meaning they are taking a loss for every sale! So Tell me again why the $200 price guess????? I guess you also thought the Tesla Model S should be in the $25,000 nge just because younwanted to be able to afford it??? Why $200 and not just $59.99 becasue a ps4 controller non-special edition is also an accessory and only $59.99 LOL

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