Don’t Expect PS5 to Be Released Anytime Soon…
Can you believe that it’s been almost four years since the release of the PS4? While it doesn’t feel that long, what’s even crazier for us, here in the VR corner of things, is that it’s almost now been a year since the release of PlayStation VR. PSVR has been a success for Sony, from a numbers perspective, and considering Microsoft hasn’t yet really decided to tackle VR, it has given Sony a huge opportunity to become leaders when it comes to the future of VR gaming. That’s why the news that Sony has no plans to release a next generation console anytime in the near future is so upsetting.
With its strong headset not to mention the fact that Sony has sold over 60 million PS4 consoles, the PS4/PSVR combo seemed to be a great step in the growth of virtual reality for the home gamer. But while the PS4 is an amazing console, frankly it doesn’t quite have the computing power of the PCs running the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive and the fact remains that the vast majority of home gamers play off consoles, rather than PCs. A strong console with VR capability will no doubt go along way to mainstreaming the virtual reality experience and while this still likely remain true when Sony does release the PS5 (and probably a second-generation headset along with it), it doesn’t mean we can’t be upset that it isn’t happening sooner.
The truth is that software can only go as far as hardware can take it. Back in the stone age of the 80’s, at the beginning of electronic gaming, arcades had an advantage over home systems with respect to computing power. This changed over time and now, home consoles and PCs have all but eliminated the need to the old style arcade. But now with virtual reality, we’re beginning maybe to see a shift back to these days as it’s rare for the home consumer to have what’s needed to power up cutting edge VR, let be able to afford a few headsets. These days, for an average home gamer to experience cutting edge VR, that gamer is likely either going to have to spring for a new PC and headset, or is going to have to find a virtual reality experience center.
This very dilemma is what made the thought of the PS5 so appealing; that it could once again shift the power to the home market and allow regular console gamers a window into the best of virtual reality. For the time being, PS4 can give people a taste, but to really get a sense of what’s out there, console gamers will either have to wait or find what amounts to a virtual reality arcade.