Should SONY make PSVR available/work on PC?

[baten]

Would it make sens, business wise, for SONY to make the PSVR work on PC?
It seems PSVR is selling much better than the competition, with an estimated 2,5 mil units by yearend.
If PSVR would work on PC we can be sure that number would only grow, but would it be advantageous for SONY?
to mods - please delete or merge if not relevant as standalone topic or if it was discussed someplace else.

 

[eastmen]

Would it make sens, business wise, for SONY to make the PSVR work on PC?
It seems PSVR is selling much better than the competition, with an estimated 2,5 mil units by yearend.
If PSVR would work on PC we can be sure that number would only grow, but would it be advantageous for SONY?
to mods - please delete or merge if not relevant as standalone topic or if it was discussed someplace else.

On the ps4 the psvr is the best solution for VR. On the PC it would at best be the third best.

HTC vive uses multiple light houses to track a placer in a 360 degree + room. Oculus with touch releasing in two weeks does the same.

Then what about software ? Valve has steam and Oculus has Oculus home. Both have exclusive software to the stores and with oculus exclusive to the headset. Sony would be entering with no store and no exclusives. So they would be selling a $500 steam vr headset that doesn't have light houses of the touch wands.

Sony would have to invest a lot of money in a pc client and money porting over exclusive software to make a real go at it .

 

[Shifty Geezer]

On the ps4 the psvr is the best solution for VR. On the PC it would at best be the third best.

It'd also be the cheapest. If PSVR is good enough VR for PS4 owners, why wouldn't it also be good enough for PC owners?

 

[eastmen]

It'd also be the cheapest. If PSVR is good enough VR for PS4 owners, why wouldn't it also be good enough for PC owners?

its hard to say if it would be the cheapest. PSVR is $400 . Both Rift and Vive are going to have $100 sales for black Friday. I wouldn't be surprised if they both drop $100 after the sale events. So The rift vs PSVR could be a $100 difference but with the rift having a much better touch experience option vs the move one.

And like I said sony doesn't have a pc store so what would they have to gain by selling it on the pc for the same price as on the ps4 ?

 

[Deleted member 13524]

I think it would be advantageous for Sony because it would increase the headset's value and more people would buy their peripheral.
Just like it was advantageous for them to put a standard USB HID interface in the Dualshock 4, so that people buying it won't think "this is only for the PS4 and then it's useless". Each DS4 can be used for "eternity" even when the PS4 is long gone.
Same thing for PSVR. "When the PS4 is gone, I can still use it with a PC" and that would be great.


The only problem I see with PSVR becoming available for PC is the fact that it uses the Playstation Camera for translational movements, which has dual optical sensors for depth perception so it would be hard to replace.
I heard somewhere that the PSVR is only using one of the sensors so it could be replaced by a regular webcam, though that might be a long shot.
Though the camera connection is probably just USB 2.0 using a different connector, so if someone made drivers for it I guess a cheap USB adapter could be sold. And then they could sell even more PS Cameras.

On the ps4 the psvr is the best solution for VR. On the PC it would at best be the third best.

Third best for 250€ less than the price of Rift. And many people consider it on par with it.
Plus, it's available on retailers everywhere under a globally recognized brand, which is the second largest reason why its total sales surpassed the sum of the other two within a month after release. Both Oculus and HTC screwed up badly on distribution.

Then what about software ? Valve has steam and Oculus has Oculus home. Both have exclusive software to the stores and with oculus exclusive to the headset. Sony would be entering with no store and no exclusives.

Steam VR isn't exclusive to Vive. There are 3rd party headsets that are compatible with Steam VR already. All they had to do is provide compatibility with Steam VR's platform like all the other headsets.
All those incoming $300 headsets that have been teased by Microsoft are most probably coming with support for SteamVR.

So they would be selling a $500 steam vr headset that doesn't have light houses of the touch wands.

The PSVR is $400/400€. That's 1/3rd the cost of the Vive in Euroland at the moment.
The only place where the Vive isn't prohibitive is the US, and even then it's still 2x more expensive.

 

[baten]

I think someone will make it work on PC in the end, but I was wondering if SONY should officially go this direction.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Vive/comments/5e87mg/psvr_on_pc_with_trinus_psvr/

 

[Shifty Geezer]

its hard to say if it would be the cheapest...

Well sure, factor in some possible price reductions and maybe it won't be. Let's also throw in the possibility of someone else producing a $200 headset. Kinda hard to make decent arguments and sane predictions if we're going to entertain the infinite possibilities of what might happen though. Right now, PSVR is £300. OVR is £550. Vive is £770. PSVR is significantly the cheapest.

And like I said sony doesn't have a pc store so what would they have to gain by selling it on the pc for the same price as on the ps4 ?

I don't think there's any benefit to Sony selling PSVR to PC if it's not profitable hardware and I don't think they should do it. I was just highlighting that your point about it being the worst experience ignored half the consumer equation which is cost. Very often the most popular selling item isn't the very best, but the best value in terms of price and performance. That's very true for CE devices where it's not the $xxxx flagship TVs and amps the sell en masse.

For all any of us know, a $300 PSVR on PC would sell 3x as much as the competition. Same with an OVR Lite SKU that sacrifices quality for cost as per the original vision.

 

[Deleted member 13524]

I don't think there's any benefit to Sony selling PSVR to PC if it's not profitable hardware and I don't think they should do it.

It's being sold at a profit from day one:

http://www.ign.com/articles/2016/10/13/sony-is-already-selling-playstation-vr-at-a-profit



And I don't think Sony should sell the PSVR to PC, as in marketing the device for PC users, either. Just that it wouldn't hurt too much to provide windows drivers for it, and it would increase the device's value.
I'd bet they already have them for 1st-party developers anyway.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

If there are decent margins then there's reason to want PC owners to buy it. Investment would have to be below takings as there's no ongoing revenue generation. Thus it'd be a case of not really investing in PC PSVR and just letting people create their own solutions, and getting free money when they buy headsets.

 

[Deleted member 13524]

If there are decent margins then there's reason to want PC owners to buy it.

Not PC owners. I'm saying PS4 owners who appreciate the increased value.

Owners of PS4 / PS4 Pro and a PC will be inclined to get a VR headset that is compatible with both platforms, even when those $300 headsets become available.
And if PC + PS4 owners go with the PSVR instead of Vive or Oculus or Asus etc., the userbase for PSVR and most of all exclusive PSVR games will increase.



Long gone are the days of consumer tech companies working as if they were islands and Sony is no different. The dualshock 4 uses standard USB and Bluetooth and it's recognized as a HID. The PSVR uses straight HDMI 2.0 and USB, and the Processing Unit is using Android. Remote Play and PS Now were released for Windows.
Sony sees the value in expanding their userbase by allowing devices from other companies to access their services, and PSVR should be no different.

 

[AlNom]

Would it make sens, business wise, for SONY to make the PSVR work on PC?

Yes because DOAX3 needs to come. To PC.

 

[Arwin]

In theory you could use the PSVR headset with other motion tracking controllers on PC. And while people complain about the Move tracking, the DS4 is clearly far superior to any alternatives when it comes to having a regular controller in a VR game.

 

[Deleted member 13524]

In theory you could use the PSVR headset with other motion tracking controllers on PC. And while people complain about the Move tracking, the DS4 is clearly far superior to any alternatives when it comes to having a regular controller in a VR game.

You still need the accelerometer and gyroscope data coming from the headset, and that requires tinkering with whatever is coming out of that PU box through USB.

 

[Arwin]

Yes and still need the camera as a result, would be too hard to make that work with other cameras probably. But the input from the controllers is separate is all I am saying.

 

[Rikimaru]

They do not make money on hardware. So it would not make sense, business wise.

 

[Deleted member 13524]

They do not make money on hardware. So it would not make sense, business wise.

Yes, they do.
7 posts above yours.

 

[Rikimaru]

Even if it is sold with profit it is miniscule.

 

[Deleted member 13524]

Even if it is sold with profit it is miniscule.

Well you first assumed it was being sold at a loss, so I have to ask where this second assumption is coming from.

 

[eastmen]

I think it would be advantageous for Sony because it would increase the headset's value and more people would buy their peripheral.
Just like it was advantageous for them to put a standard USB HID interface in the Dualshock 4, so that people buying it won't think "this is only for the PS4 and then it's useless". Each DS4 can be used for "eternity" even when the PS4 is long gone.
Same thing for PSVR. "When the PS4 is gone, I can still use it with a PC" and that would be great.

I'd agree if sony had trouble selling them but they seem to be selling well so why divert some to a platform where they wont make software revenue ?

The only problem I see with PSVR becoming available for PC is the fact that it uses the Playstation Camera for translational movements, which has dual optical sensors for depth perception so it would be hard to replace.
I heard somewhere that the PSVR is only using one of the sensors so it could be replaced by a regular webcam, though that might be a long shot.
Though the camera connection is probably just USB 2.0 using a different connector, so if someone made drivers for it I guess a cheap USB adapter could be sold. And then they could sell even more PS Cameras.

They could just make the ps camera work on the pc but again its more resources diverted from where the currently make money

Third best for 250€ less than the price of Rift. And many people consider it on par with it.
Plus, it's available on retailers everywhere under a globally recognized brand, which is the second largest reason why its total sales surpassed the sum of the other two within a month after release. Both Oculus and HTC screwed up badly on distribution.

No one knows the sales of the other headsets . Oculus isn't telling and people got numbers from rift users on steam. Not all rift users have downloaded vr games through steam . I have never used my headset with steam . So we don't know what has sold what.

Both Vive and Rift have holiday price cuts . So for instance the rift is $500 with a sensor and xbox one controller and multiple free games . The ps vr is $400 with I believe (and correct me if i'm wrong ) No camera and no controller and no free game(which even if it had a game there is no reason to believe it would work on the pc anyway)

At the same time if you buy a rift + touch bundle you get the free games with the rift + 3 more free games for touch and two artist pieces of software. That is going to be $700 in a bundle. I believe Sony has a $500 bundle with the camera + move controllers. But what are you going to play ? I dont' think the move controllers are supported in steam and sony's solution can't do room scale. It can't even do 360degree well

So with both editions of rift your getting a complete solution from hardware to software. Something sony can't offer.

Steam VR isn't exclusive to Vive. There are 3rd party headsets that are compatible with Steam VR already. All they had to do is provide compatibility with Steam VR's platform like all the other headsets.
All those incoming $300 headsets that have been teased by Microsoft are most probably coming with support for SteamVR.

Yes and what are you going to use to control them ? With a rift you need touch/xbox controller or you need hydras or another supported controller . What does the psvr come with that works with steam vr ?

The PSVR is $400/400€. That's 1/3rd the cost of the Vive in Euroland at the moment.
The only place where the Vive isn't prohibitive is the US, and even then it's still 2x more expensive.

But the PSRV comes with no controllers and no software. It wont be capable of 360 degree VR or Room scale.

Vive is a complete solution. Oculus is a complete solution and starts again at $600 with $100 off this holiday. It comes with free games and a controller. The touch + rift at $800 with $100 off comes with motion controls , room scale and about 5 free games by my count.

That is the difference. Sure you can add support in steam vr for the headset but go ahead and look at how little support there is for a headset with no controls , no motion controls and no room scale.

 

[mrcorbo]

If there any technical reason that the PSVR couldn't use the inside-out tracking from Windows Holographic?