Sony’s PlayStation VR will be a $399 PS4 add-on

Sony announced its virtual reality play during the Game Developers Conference keynote today, confirming that PlayStation VR will ship in the fall for $399.

That is, many have pointed out, cheaper than competitors like the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, which retail for $599 and $799 respectively, as well as requiring expensive, high-end computers to play on. (Macs need not apply, as Oculus CEO Palmer Luckey so memorably remarked.) The PlayStation 4, which will be required for PlayStation VR, costs just $299 these days.

That bundle, however, does not include the required PlayStation Camera, which is approximately another $50, though it’s thought that other bundles will exist. (Sony claims that a lot of PS4 owners have already bought the camera, thus including it would be redundant.)

I’m glad to see VR charging ahead—I’ve been playing some truly large-scale games recently, and I can see the appeal of a more immersive experience. While I’m not likely to go out and buy a PS4 and attendant VR gear I can’t say I’m not tempted by announcements like a VR-compatible version of Star Wars Battlefront.

So I think I speak for Xbox One owners everywhere when I say: come on, Microsoft. Get your virtual act together.

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[Dan Moren is a tech writer, novelist, podcaster, and the Official Dan of Six Colors. You can email him at dan@sixcolors.com or find him on Twitter at @dmoren.]