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Events
Jury's still out on PlayStation VR www.asia.nikkei.com
TOKYO -- The debut of the PlayStation VR earlier this month stirred up some excitement -- among hardcore gamers. But the virtual reality headset from Sony Interactive Entertainment could also have some potential to win over a wider audience.
The headset costs 44,980 yen ($431) plus tax. It does not work on its own. A player also has to have a PlayStation 4 console, which starts in the 20,000 yen range, as well as a special camera. Altogether, he or she will have to spend 90,000 yen or so.
Too expensive for video gaming? That's a loaded question. VR isn't only for playing around.
But so far, entertainment is the killer app. For example, PS VR users get a "Shin Godzilla" short, a special outtake from the summer blockbuster. Wearing the headset, users are thrown into the virtual world of Godzilla.
The VR movie clip has nothing to do with gaming. Viewers can be right there as Godzilla tramples around, or feel the devastation that the monster leaves behind.
Think of the short as a simple piece of entertainment that allows VR beginners, who sometimes suffer from motion sickness, to get used to their new worlds.
2.5-D musicals
The new VR wearable could be fun for anime fans, too. Tokyo-based Marvelous, a game and content developer, has released two 2.5-D musicals -- "Touken Ranbu the Stage" and "Ensemble Stars! On Stage" -- for the PS VR.
Making anime into 3-D live-action musicals is hot these days. Watching one of these productions through VR gear puts the viewer in the middle of the front row -- the best seat in the headset from which to lust after the handsome idols.
It would be near impossible to buy such a premium seat for a stage production, and the VR experience makes viewers feel as though the actors are performing exclusively for them.
It's like renting out an entire theater.
This could be a big attraction for people who so far haven't found themselves wanting a PlayStation. Fans of 2.5-D musicals are mostly young women -- probably not a big part of the PlayStation or VR demographic.
The PS VR appears to be a luxury toy for grown-ups to enjoy new types of entertainment at home, but not so much of a gaming tool for kids or gadget for particular otaku maniacs.
The range of content for it is limited. Also, some people may find the large, thick eyewear uncomfortable. It is recommended that potential buyers first try on the device in a retail shop, then decide to fork over their money or keep it in their wallets.
Leave the online shopping experience for the familiar.
No one can say whether the PS VR might be among this holiday shopping season's big hits. According to a Japanese industry magazine, the PS4's total unit sales recently reached 3 million. This does not bode well for a pair of $431 goggles that only work in tandem with the console.
If there is a sales boom, it is more likely to come into full swing next year or later.
Published Date:2016-10-24
