Sony has just announced that virtual reality is coming to the PS4. It's called Project Morpheus.
First rumoured last year, the Sony headset puts the PlayStation 4 in a strange place in the gaming landscape, setting it apart from the Xbox One while offering a similar experience to the PC's Oculus Rift.
Part of the announcement involved footage of a VR God of War, PlayStation boss Shuhei Yoshida saying "When I looked down, I saw my body was that of Kratos. That was an empowering experience."
Yoshida directly referenced the Oculus Rift in his presentation, saying "I have an enormous amount of respect for them, and we were inspired and encouraged by the enthusiastic reactions of developers and journalists who tried [the Oculus Rift]".
Note that the headset, pictured above, is not the unit's final design, as Sony is still working on it. That said, here are the prototype's specs:
- 1080p display with 90-degree field of view
- 15mm eye relief
- 1000hz display
- Full 360-degree movement
- Supports forward prediction
In terms of games, EVE Valkyrie is playable on the current dev kit, which is exciting. There'll also be a special build of Thief being released; not the entire game, but some key sections reworked for VR support. There's also games called The Deep and The Castle, the latter of which will let you use a PlayStation Move to control a sword.
Morpheus will be available for a hands-on with developers and the press tomorrow. Stephen and Kirk will be swinging by to give it a try, so check back tomorrow for impressions.
Another shot of the "Morpheus" prototype.
Sony's Shuhei Yoshida with earlier, prototype headset units.
Another early prototype unit.