Sony embraces the new reality
The Paris Games Week is well under way in France, and Sony took to the stage today to announce new games, reveal launch dates and show us new trailers of games heading to the PS4 in the coming months.
Sony also took the opportunity to get us excited about its PlayStation VR headset, revealing some exciting new games for its VR headset as well as a few surprising PS4 games that will have VR support.
Here's our list of the five exciting things about PlayStation VR to come out of Sony's event at Paris Games Week.
Lots of devs = lots of content
Unfortunately, Sony didn't reveal how much the PlayStation VR will cost, nor the date we can expect it to be released. But thankfully, we do know we'll get lots of content when it does come out.
Between introducing new games for the PS4, Sony announced that there are currently over 200 developers working on content for its PlayStation VR platform.
While the content includes games, it also includes VR experiences from the company's sister company, Sony Pictures Entertainment.
We'll have to wait for the very vague Q1 window to find out more about the headset itself, though.
You won't have to play alone
One of our great concerns for VR is that it could be rather isolating, but Shuhei Yoshida, president of Sony's Worldwide Studios, says VR "doesn't have to be a solo experience", adding that it can be an immersive, multiplayer platform instead.
He then introduced the perfect example of this: Rigs Mechanized Combat League, a multiplayer competitive, first-person arena shooter game that's being developed for PlayStation VR.
This isn't the first time we've seen Rigs, from studio Guerrilla Games Cambridge, but the latest video shown at Paris Games Week introduces a new arena set in Dubai.
Robinson: The Journey looks stunning
Crytek, the studio that's previously brought us the Back to Dinosaur Island demos for the Oculus Rift headset, is developing a new VR game for the PlayStation VR, called Robinson: The Journey.
And if the trailer is anything to go by, it will look amazing.
"In Robinson, you assume the role of a young boy who has crash-landed on a mysterious planet, and must become a pioneer of sorts as you explore your surroundings, interact with the world around you, and discover amazing secrets at every turn," explained Crytek's Elijah Freeman, executive producer of the game.
Freeman said Crytek's previous VR demos were the inspiration for Robinson, adding that the main goal of this new game is "recreating that level of authenticity on a much, much grander scale".
"That means not just making something visually stunning, but also telling a story that is emotionally engaging and which resonates with players beyond the game world."
Gran Turismo Sport - driving in VR
Sony also unveiled the new Gran Turismo Sport for PlayStation 4, announcing that it will be compatible with PlayStation VR.
Gran Turismo Sport will include two FIA championships in the game, including the Nation's Cup, where you'll represent your country, and the Manufacturer Fan's Cup, where you'll represent your favorite car company.
The beta will launch early next year – just in time, we suspect, for the launch of Sony's VR headset.
Tekken 7. Yes, Tekken 7
"It gives me great pleasure to announce Tekken 7 is coming to PlayStation VR," Sony's PlayStation head, Jim Ryan, exuded during the PGW event.
Unfortunately, that's all that was said about Tekken 7 in VR.
We have no idea how the fighting game will working in a VR environment that's usually a first-person experience, but we're intrigued.
For the game itself, Tekken is celebrating its 20th anniversary, and the latest iteration is set to feature "an intensive canon storyline" and a new Mishima clan member, Kazumi Mishima. Expect to hear more in the coming months.
