Sony's testing 3D Virtual Reality games, with headsets and everything. Early '90s, here we come

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Flat-shaded polygons unconfirmed at this stage

Every five years or so, someone tips Virtual Reality to "really take off soon". Sony has been showing off its twin-OLED screened headset at conventions for a while now, but it turns out that the device's development behind the scenes is actually going way beyond a simple 3D delivery system. In Sony's R&D lab, it's now incorporating head tracking and even having specific games developed to work with it. Better believe it - Virtual Reality may be making a(nother) comeback.


Above: Looks shiny, doesn't it? But would you really wear this to play games?

Currently, the device is being tested with several game genres -including first-person shooters - although there are no firm launch plans at the moment. But prototypes like this wouldn't exist if Sony weren't taking it very seriously.

Itall lends weight to the rumours that Betamax will replace Blu-Ray as the storage medium of choice in next-generation consoles, PlayStation Vita games will come on minidisc... oh,and then there's this allegedly leakedPS Move 'ring' that allows you to play actual stick and hoop games, for the first time as a standalone peripheral. No need for a PS3 to run this one:


Above: If an idea's fun, it doesn't matter how old it is. Look at their faces. Just look at them!

We josh, of course. Modern-day VR is undoubtedly going to be better than the crap-o-la stuff we paid through the nose to play on holiday in the early nineties. Head-tracked 3D via a system you already own? Could be the breakthrough needed to bring this to the masses. That, or we'll be writing about the next comeback of VR in another five years' time.

19 July, 2011

(Note - if you want to hear more from Mick Hocking, there's a video interviewhere)

Mick Hocking, senior director at Sony Worldwide Studios, toldDevelop: “At the moment it’s just a head-mounted display; the head isn’t being tracked – but that’s something we’re doing R&D on. I have to say, what we’ve done in the R&D projects has just been fantastic. We’re working with a couple of games at Sony that are experimenting with virtual reality type experiences.”


Above: Looks shiny, doesn't it? But would you really wear this to play games?

Currently, the device is being tested with several game genres -including first-person shooters - although there are no firm launch plans at the moment. But prototypes like this wouldn't exist if Sony weren't taking it very seriously.

Itall lends weight to the rumours that Betamax will replace Blu-Ray as the storage medium of choice in next-generation consoles, PlayStation Vita games will come on minidisc... oh,and then there's this allegedly leakedPS Move 'ring' that allows you to play actual stick and hoop games, for the first time as a standalone peripheral. No need for a PS3 to run this one:


Above: If an idea's fun, it doesn't matter how old it is. Look at their faces. Just look at them!

We josh, of course. Modern-day VR is undoubtedly going to be better than the crap-o-la stuff we paid through the nose to play on holiday in the early nineties. Head-tracked 3D via a system you already own? Could be the breakthrough needed to bring this to the masses. That, or we'll be writing about the next comeback of VR in another five years' time.

19 July, 2011

(Note - if you want to hear more from Mick Hocking, there's a video interviewhere)

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Justin Towell
Justin Towell

Justin was a GamesRadar staffer for 10 years but is now a freelancer, musician and videographer. He's big on retro, Sega and racing games (especially retro Sega racing games) and currently also writes for Play Magazine, Traxion.gg, PC Gamer and TopTenReviews, as well as running his own YouTube channel. Having learned to love all platforms equally after Sega left the hardware industry (sniff), his favourite games include Christmas NiGHTS into Dreams, Zelda BotW, Sea of Thieves, Sega Rally Championship and Treasure Island Dizzy.