PlayStation VR Launch Guide: What You Need to Know

By Dalton Cooper 06 October 2016

Learn everything there is to know about PS4’s PlayStation VR headset, including its price, release date, a list of all the launch titles, and some promising future games.

Many analysts predict that the next big innovation in video gaming will be virtual reality, and on Thursday, October 13th, the VR device with the lowest price will hit the market. PlayStation VR, formerly known by its codename Project Morpheus, launches worldwide on that date for any PlayStation 4 owners that are interested.

PlayStation VR is launching with a couple of different bundles to choose from and a long list of games. There’s quite a bit of information to consider for anyone thinking about picking one up, so we decided to collect all the relevant details in one convenient location.

Availability

Over the next few years, there will probably be many PlayStation VR bundles to choose from, but at launch, there will be two primary bundles for the device. One bundle costs $399, and it comes with the PlayStation VR headset and a demo disc. This vanilla bundle will be suitable for anyone that already has a PlayStation Camera, but most PS4 owners will want to consider the $499 bundle.

For just another $100, fans can get the PlayStation VR headset, a PlayStation Camera, two PlayStation Move controllers (necessary for playing some games), and a copy of PlayStation VR Worlds. For the uninitiated, PlayStation VR Worlds is to PlayStation VR as Wii Sports was to the Wii; it is a collection of mini-games designed to showcase PlayStation VR’s unique features.

In North America, both PlayStation VR bundles will come with a 18 game demo disc. In addition to the launch titles listed in the next section, these are the other demos fans can play on the demo disc:

Allumette
EVE: Valkyrie
Gnong
Harmonix Music VR
Headmaster
Job Simulator
Resident Evil VII
Within

Right now, PlayStation VR is sold out at all major online retailers, and pre-orders are closed. However, there is still a chance to find one on launch day by going to a store in-person. Sony expects PlayStation VR to be in short supply in its early days, but it shouldn’t be outright impossible to find one.

The Games

While there are some conflicting reports, it seems as though there will be 27 games available for PlayStation VR come launch day on October 13th, representing a variety of genres. Some of these games are exclusive to PlayStation VR, others are timed-exclusives, and others still don’t require the device, but are enhanced by it.

Out of the 27 games available at launch, there are a few that are clear standouts. Rocksteady, the studio behind the critically-acclaimed Batman: Arkham trilogy, has prepared a Batman VR experience for launch day called Batman: Arkham VR. Batman: Arkham VR will be sold at a budget price of $20, so it will be a short adventure, but reports from those that have played it have been generally positive.

For those not interested in becoming the Dark Knight (if such people even exist), the PlayStation VR launch lineup offers plenty of other experiences as well. Horror fans especially have reason to look forward to PlayStation VR’s launch, as it is bringing with it a trio of intriguing horror games. One is Until Dawn: Rush of Blood, an on-rails spinoff of the 2015 sleeper hit from Supermassive Games, and another is the mysterious psychological horror game called Here They Lie. The third horror game coming to PlayStation VR at launch is an indie shooter known as The Brookhaven Experiment, giving VR horror fans a nice selection of titles to choose from this Halloween season.

Gamers that would rather not play a VR horror game can check out two other high profile games hitting PS VR at launch. This includes Robinson: The Journey, an elaborate sci-fi adventure from Crysis developers Crytek, and RIGS: Mechanized Combat League. The latter is aiming to dominate the VR eSports space early on, and is arguably the most significant multiplayer game in development for the hardware.

Here is a complete list of PlayStation VR’s launch games, according to the latest information available:

100ft Robot Golf
Batman: Arkham VR
Battlezone
Bound
DriveClub VR
Farpoint
Harmonix Music VR
Here They Lie
Hustle Kings VR
Job Simulator
Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes
Loading Human
PlayStation VR Worlds
Rez Infinite
RIGS: Mechanized Combat League
Rise of the Tomb Raider: Blood Ties (DLC)
Robinson: The Journey
SuperHyperCube
Super Stardust Ultra VR
The Brookhaven Experiment
The Playroom VR
Thumper
Tumble VR
Until Dawn: Rush of Blood
Volume Coda
Wayward Sky
World War Toons

The Future

While there will reportedly be 22 PlayStation VR games available at launch, many more are in development for the device. We can’t possibly list all of the PlayStation VR games that are on the horizon, but we can highlight a couple that are sure to receive significant attention when they do become available for Sony’s innovative virtual reality headset.

Perhaps the biggest blockbuster release on the way for PlayStation VR is Resident Evil VII from Capcom. Resident Evil VII is a first-person horror game that will be available on January 24th, and while it does not require PlayStation VR to function, it’s easy to see how the device will enhance the experience. A demo for Resident Evil VII will come packed-in with all PlayStation VR headsets, so gamers can see if they can handle the vicious Baker Family in virtual reality well before the game’s release date.

Another high profile game in development for PlayStation VR is Gran Turismo Sport. The latest game in the critically-acclaimed Gran Turismo series, Gran Turismo Sport has been labeled the mark of a new era for the franchise by series creator Kazunori Yamauchi. It will be available at some point in 2017, and like Resident Evil VII, it doesn’t require PlayStation VR, but it will be enhanced by it.

As the virtual reality headset with the lowest price point, PlayStation VR is in a position to corner a significant share of the VR market. If Sony is able to supply enough PlayStation VR headsets to meet demand, and if the launch titles live up to expectations, then PlayStation VR could mark the moment that the virtual reality movement in gaming really takes off.

PlayStation VR will be available on October 13th, and will be compatible with all PlayStation 4 systems.