PlayStation 4 Fans are Annoyed at PlayStation VR
Paris Games Week left some fans with a bitter taste.
Sony unveiled a slew of PlayStation VR games on Monday at its Paris Games Week presentation, following a month where the console manufacturer sought to drum up hype around these new virtual reality games.
But while games like crime shooter Blood & Truth turned heads, and new information about the upcoming Elder Scrolls: Skyrim was well-received, many PS4 fans were left angry by the other games on display.
Among the new games demonstrated, Sony showed a trailer for Dead Hungry, a game that involves serving hamburgers to zombies, as well as well as the colorful rollerblading game Sprint Vector.
Sprint Vector
“This is just turning me off from buying a VR headset,” Reddit user Fonix42 said in the PlayStation 4 subreddit. “The games they are showing just look bad. I mean phone games bad.”
Those visuals paled in comparison to the likes of non-virtual reality games like Ghost of Tsushima and Shadow of the Colossus, also showcased at the same event, which use the console’s graphics capabilities to show stunning, expansive worlds.
Shadow of the Colossus
Sony has thrown its weight behind virtual reality since launching its $399 headset last year. Earlier this month, PlayStation released an updated version of the PlayStation VR kit that includes built-in headphones for a more immersive audio experience, while the required camera now comes as standard with the headset.
But virtual reality is a demanding task for computers, as they seek to push out pixels at a fast enough rate to maintain that immersive experience. The PlayStation 4 Pro, a $399 upgraded version of the PS4 with a more powerful graphics processor, goes some way toward alleviating this by offering updated visuals for select PSVR titles.
However, Sony reportedly has strict measures around PSVR titles to restrict nausea, rejecting any that drop below 60 frames per second. This means regular games have greater freedom to boost visuals even if it means losing frame-rate at times.
“I traded in my VR set not long ago and I haven’t seen anything that’s made me regret it,” said user BasicThuganomics. “I swear VR games are just getting worse.”
“This stream is just reinforcing my decision on not getting a PS VR,” said user lendonen.
Not everyone was so disappointed. On the PlayStation VR subreddit, dedicated to discussions around the headset, fans were elated that Sony has thrown its weight behind getting more content onto the platform.
“Honestly I was surprised at how many new games were shown!” said Reddit user AdamMcwadam. “A happy PSVR player I am!”
“Very pumped!” said seanboyd. “Sony backing VR which is great!”
Watch the full presentation below:
Update 11/1 6 a.m. Eastern time: An earlier version of this story said that the PlayStation 4 Pro costs $499. The article has been updated to reflect its price of $399.
