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Sony’s Project Morpheus VR headset has got gamers drooling. Here’s what we know so far about this new gaming peripheral.
1. Project Morpheus Is PS4-Compatible
Project Morpheus: Sony's Oculus Rift VR competitor looks unbelievable http://t.co/MumujEmjvT pic.twitter.com/QCR2TXk8T8
— Gizmodo (@Gizmodo) March 19, 2014
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Gizmodo reports that the Project Morpheus headset could conceivably be used with the PS4. The headset could also function in concert with other Playstation peripherals and controllers.
Gizmodo adds:
“Especially important is that Sony’s got the muscle to make Morpheus a reality; while the Oculus Rift is popular, it’s also relatively niche, and has run low on components recently. If Sony sees enough interest in Morpheus, it would be able to scale up the project relatively quickly. And combined with PlayStation Move and the PlayStation Camera, it could create a potent virtual environment.”
2. Project Morpheus Headset Is Still Just a Prototype
Breaking: Sony has announced Project Morpheus, its VR tech for PS4 http://t.co/KP4TJNZijz pic.twitter.com/dHBPSOpZYx
— The Verge (@verge) March 19, 2014
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According to The Verge, this headset won’t be in stores anytime soon. Sony showed off the prototype at a Game Developers Conference 2014 event called “Driving the Future of Innovation.”
As of now, no release date has been set for Project Morpheus
3. Project Morpheus Must Compete With Oculus Rift
Above is a video of 2012’s Far Cry 3, as played on the Oculus Rift.
Forbes reports that the next great “console war” might not be between Sony and Nintendo, or even between Sony and Xbox. Instead, Sony will battle for VR dominance against Oculus Rift.
The Forbes article further outlines how Morpheus and Oculus will change the way we think about video games:
“VR is not a peripheral. That precedent was established by the Rift which wasn’t designed to attach itself to any particular video game console. But now, even Sony is saying that the device is a standalone experience. The Morpheus is currently designed to run on PS4, but Sony shares the same philosophy as Oculus. PlayStation’s Anton Mikhailov they are treating VR as ‘a medium, not a peripheral.’
In other words? You likely won’t see games interrupted by ‘put on your VR headset now!’ prompts, the way you were often told to waggle your Wiimote or wave at your Kinect during specific moments in generally non-motion controlled games. Rather, VR games will have to be their own self-contained experiences, and though especially with Sony we might see some established franchises with their own VR games, the two types of titles will be separate entities.”
4. Project Morpheus Developed Over 3 Years
No, Project Morpheus isn't going to be the final name for the hardware. It'll probably be something more realistic, like Laurence Fishburne.
— Tim Stevens (@Tim_Stevens) March 19, 2014
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The Guardian reports that the current prototype of Morpheus took three years to develop. Meanwhile, the competing VR device Oculus Rift is available now to developers, and will get a wide launch later this year. Sony will have to move fast if they want to catch up to Oculus, although it should be noted that Oculus is primarily designed for PC gamers, not console gamers.
5. Project Morpheus Will Be Easy to Use and Install
SCEA R&D director Richard Marks claims Sony is working with Unity, Crytek, Epic, and more as it develops Project Morpheus.
— Gamasutra (@gamasutra) March 19, 2014
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According to a report on Polygon, the team behind Morpheus wants both the set-up and the actual gaming experience with the VR headset to be stress-free.
Polygon writes:
“Richard Marks, senior director of research and development at Sony Computer Entertainment America, said Project Morpheus will be used both for games and non-games, adding that he’s been working with NASA and its Jet Propulsion Lab on an exploratory project…
Ease of use, Marks said, was another key factor. ‘You’re going to have to be able to go to the store, buy one, plug it in and [have it work],’ Marks said, explaining that users shouldn’t have to be bothered with drivers or set up.
‘We really want it to be easy for people,’ he said, describing Morpheus’ pick-up-and-play goal. ‘We want it to be comfortable.'”
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Sony’s Project Morpheus VR Headset: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know