Sony's Project Morpheus Is Now PlayStation VR


Sony's Project Morpheus virtual-reality headset has a new name.


Sony has changed the name of Project Morpheus to PlayStation VR, the company announced on Tuesday. The name change is simply that—the company didn't announce any new features for its VR headset.

Project Morpheus, which Sony showed off last year, will enter what promises to be a hotly contested market filled with competitors ranging from Facebook-owned Oculus Rift, as well as devices from HTC and Steam, Samsung, and even Google. The device, like other virtual-reality headsets, is placed over a person's face and provides gaming experiences through its goggles. Unlike holographic technology that places virtual elements over the real world, PlayStation VR and its competitors place users in completely virtual environments.

Sony's decision to rename Project Morpheus—a codename—to PlayStation VR makes some sense. For one, the device will rely on the PlayStation 4 in order to get its content. It's also a gaming-focused product and using the PlayStation branding adds a bit more legitmacy to the device.

When PlayStation VR hits store shelves in 2016, it will be entering a market that many believe is ripe for growth. Topology Research Institute said in August that virtual-reality devices are slated to reach 14 million unit sales worldwide in 2016, up from the "few" that will actually be sold in 2015. By 2020, the company said, the headsets' sales could hit 38 million units worldwide.

Sony's PlayStation VR announcement came at the Tokyo Game Show on Tuesday. Sony has yet to say how much the device will cost and when it will hit store shelves.

Oculus, meanwhile, will release the consumer version of its VR headset next year, and is hosting a developer conference in Los Angeles next week. Parent company Facebook, meanwhile, is also reportedly developing a VR app.

Source: pcmag.com
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