While many tech enthusiasts and gamers are looking over their shoulders for virtual reality headsets, new statistics show that Sony could very well leverage the PS5 to develop the next generation PSVR and put more pressure on the Xbox Series X.
According to a RoadtoVR report by Tipatat Chennavasin, general partner of Venture Reality Fund and investor in hit games like Best Saber, more than 100 VR titles in 2019 will have revenue of million, with the top titles clearing $10 million.
And while the Oculus Quest is the most highly regarded as the best VR headset, PSVR is still going strong as well. In fact, according to the numbers in this report, PSVR has more apps that exceed $1 million than any other VR headset, and it is estimated that PSVR alone generated over $110 million in software revenue last year.
Sony lead systems architect Mark Cerny told Wired last April that the PSVR headset will be compatible with the PS5, so it's reasonable to assume that a sequel will appear for the new console - even if it won't appear in the first year.
In January, Sony announced that it had sold more than 5 million PSVR headsets, up from 4.2 million sold in March 2019.
Three years after its launch, PSVR does not feature state-of-the-art hardware: the 5.7-inch OLED display gives each eye a 960 x 1080p resolution, with a refresh rate of 90-120 Hz.
The latest Oculus Rift S has a resolution of 1280 x 1440 pixels per eye and a refresh rate of 80 Hz. And the lower-priced Oculus Quest has a resolution of 1440 x 1600 per eye and a refresh rate of 72 Hz; the new PSVR for PS5 will likely match or exceed these specs for a more immersive and smooth gaming experience.
Could Microsoft support the Xbox Series X with its own VR headset? Possibly, but not expected anytime soon.
In an interview with GamerTag radio (as reported by Windows Central), Xbox head Phil Spencer gave several legitimate reasons not to jump into VR. The dashboard would have to be redesigned. And "it needs a lot of work," he said.
But he left open the possibility of adopting VR if the market grows." We're not going to close our eyes to where things are going," Spencer said. We want to see it grow bigger. I hope that's very important and I have no doubt that we will support that."
[20Microsoft may be putting more energy into mixed reality and augmented reality for the Xbox Series X. But while Microsoft is mulling over its options, Sony may possibly create a killer feature for the PS5 that will give it an impressive advantage in the next console war.
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