Sony may have just finalized the release date for the Playstation VR headset, but it’s already gearing up to sell the device, with pre-orders opening, and then selling out quickly, at a number of online retailers.
It isn’t the most advanced headset on the market, featuring a 5.7-inch OLED display with a 1080p resolution, which is a bit lower than the 2,160 x 1,200 screens found in the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift. It makes up for it partially with plug and play simplicity, as well as a much lower price point than the PC-based headsets. That’s particularly true when it comes to system overhead. PS4 consoles are often $300, as opposed to around $1,000 for a VR-ready gaming PC.
The headset itself is reported to cost just $400, but the pre-order bundle comes in at $500 with a few extras thrown in. In addition to the headset, the launch bundle includes a Playstation Camera, which is a necessary accessory for the headset, and a pair of PlayStation Move controllers.
Sony also tosses in a copy of PlayStation VR Worlds. The collection of five VR experiences, which range from deep sea salvage, to bank robbery, and something called Danger Ball, are a small, but varied suite that will help new users wrap their head around virtual reality.
When the Rift and HTC Vive headsets went up for pre-order this year, it quickly became clear there was a high demand for the products. Ship dates were pushed back months for the Oculus option. HTC says its sold a ton of the Vive headset, and its ship date is already pushed back to May for new pre-orders.
Now it looks like the PlayStation VR headset may be following the same trends. It’s already sold out from Amazon, Target, and Walmart, with remaining stock at just Gamestop and Best Buy at publish. If you want to get in on the launch day fun, make sure to act quickly, or you might end up having to pick up all the parts individually.
