• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI

2

Former top Russian official admits the country is over Putin and can 'imagine a future without him' — even elites bail as Kremlin seizes their assets 

3

The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises

1

Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI

2

Former top Russian official admits the country is over Putin and can 'imagine a future without him' — even elites bail as Kremlin seizes their assets 

3

The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
TechVirtual Reality

Sony’s PlayStation VR Headset Is Already Pretty Amazing

By
Lisa Eadicicco
Lisa Eadicicco
and
TIME
TIME
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Lisa Eadicicco
Lisa Eadicicco
and
TIME
TIME
Down Arrow Button Icon
April 9, 2016, 11:02 AM ET
Paris Games Week 2015  At Porte de Versailles In Paris
PARIS, FRANCE - OCTOBER 27: A gamer plays a game with the virtual reality head-mounted display 'Playstation VR' during the 'Paris Games week' at Parc des Expositions Porte de Versailles on October 27, 2015 in Paris, France. The display transfers the eye movements to the game in real time. 'Paris Games week' takes place from October 28, 2015 until November 01, 2015. (Photo by Chesnot/Getty Images)Photograph by Chesnot — Getty Images

Don a virtual reality headset, and you’re suddenly able to explore beautiful new experiences, like scaling Mount Everest or going face-to-face with a dinosaur. VR’s most obvious use, however, is in powering new kinds of video games. Sony’s PlayStation VR is already showing great promise in this area.

I tried several games on Sony’s upcoming virtual reality platform this week. The PlayStation VR, which must be connected to a PlayStation 4 to work, won’t be available to buy until October. Even so, many of the demos I tried already feel as polished as finished games.

The PlayStation VR (SNE) has a single strap securing the device to your head, similar to a visor, that lets you pull the goggles over your eyes where they feel most comfortable. A one-button adjustment process makes changing the size of the band simple. Another mechanism lets you move the device’s screen closer to or farther away from your face, helpful for gamers with glasses. All told, Sony’s goggles are easier to adjust than rival devices.

HTC Vive Demos a Reality at GameStop and Microsoft Stores

The PlayStation VR offers gamers two different control methods. Gamers can choose to use a standard PlayStation DualShock gamepad, or opt for a pair of the company’s Move motion controllers depending on the game.

The most riveting game I played was Until Dawn: Rush of Blood, which drops you onto a nightmarish train ride through an abandoned carnival. The game occasionally goes completely dark, giving ghoulish enemies the chance to sneak up on you without being seen. Sony’s Move controllers let you control virtual guns, your only defense against the horrific onslaught. It’s the kind of game that would be scary enough on a two-dimensional screen, but it’s completely horrifying in virtual reality.

Courtesy of Sony
Courtesy of Sony

Another title, Waltz of the Wizard, makes you feel like you have superpowers. The game requires you to pick up a tiny ball that contains a spell, and drop it into a steaming cauldron. Dipping your hand into the resulting potion bestows certain powers, like the ability to transform objects in the room just by touching them, Midas-style. You can also lift objects and toss them around, as in Job Simulator, another popular VR game. Unfortunately, I had trouble lifting certain objects, but gameplay was smooth overall. Waltz of the Wizard is a good demonstration of how Sony’s Move controllers can make interactions inside VR games feel more real.

For more on VR, watch:

I tried some enjoyable puzzle games, too. Tumble is like a more complex and virtual Jenga. The challenge: Stack the blocks you’re given without knocking any of them over. But the objects range in size and shape, making the task more challenging. What makes Tumble particularly interesting in virtual reality is the ability to examine your pieces up close from any angle, offering a more thorough inspection than you would get from staring at a screen.

Courtesy of Sony
Courtesy of Sony

Super Hypercube is a virtual take on Hole in the Wall that’s equally straightforward yet tough to master. You’re thrust into a colorful tunnel, where you must rotate a given shape so it fits through an opening in a wall rushing toward you. Like Tumble, it’s a game that doesn’t need to be played in VR, but it’s far more interesting this way.

Sony Explains How Star Wars Battlefront Will Sell PlayStation VR

It’s too early to compare Sony’s PlayStation VR to the high-end virtual reality headsets already on the market, like the Oculus Rift (FB) and the HTC Vive. But it does boast advantages on paper. It will be cheaper, for one, at $399 versus $599 for the Rift and $799 for the Vive. It’s more comfortable to wear. And it only requires owners also have a PlayStation 4, whereas those other headsets demand a high-end, expensive gaming computer.

Still, both of those rival devices will see upgrades before PlayStation VR ships in October. More and better games will appear on both platforms. And Oculus’ gesture-sensitive controllers are scheduled to ship later this year. But with more than 30 million PlayStation 4 units in use worldwide, PlayStation VR could be the device that makes virtual reality gaming go mainstream.

This article was originally published on Time.com

About the Authors
By Lisa Eadicicco
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
By TIME
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

murdochs
CommentaryMedia
OpenAI paid $100 million for a talk show. James Murdoch is eyeing an even bigger deal. The hot new asset class is humanity
By Lin CherryMay 17, 2026
13 hours ago
dennis
CommentaryAI agents
Freshworks CEO: why agile enterprises are winning the AI race — and what they did differently
By Dennis WoodsideMay 17, 2026
14 hours ago
A man with a headset sits at a desk in a call center.
EconomyAutomation
The AI boom hasn’t stopped U.S. companies from hiring cheap offshore labor, and overseas call center employment is still skyrocketing
By Sasha RogelbergMay 17, 2026
14 hours ago
Zillow CEO doubles down on remote-work model: ‘There is talent everywhere in this country’
Workplace Cultureremote work
Zillow CEO doubles down on remote-work model: ‘There is talent everywhere in this country’
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezMay 17, 2026
14 hours ago
Stressed job seeker
SuccessGen Z
Gen Z is right about the job hunt—it really is worse than it was for millennials, with nearly 60% of fresh-faced grads frozen out of the workforce
By Emma BurleighMay 17, 2026
14 hours ago
A 45,000-person labor strike at Samsung’s memory chip plants could throw a wrench into the AI boom
EconomySamsung
A 45,000-person labor strike at Samsung’s memory chip plants could throw a wrench into the AI boom
By Catherina GioinoMay 17, 2026
17 hours ago

Most Popular

Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI
AI
Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI
By Jake AngeloMay 16, 2026
2 days ago
Former top Russian official admits the country is over Putin and can 'imagine a future without him' — even elites bail as Kremlin seizes their assets 
Politics
Former top Russian official admits the country is over Putin and can 'imagine a future without him' — even elites bail as Kremlin seizes their assets 
By Jason MaMay 16, 2026
1 day ago
The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
Politics
The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
By Jake AngeloMay 12, 2026
5 days ago
The top foreign holders of U.S. debt may soon dump Treasury bonds and bring their money back home, potentially spiking borrowing costs
Economy
The top foreign holders of U.S. debt may soon dump Treasury bonds and bring their money back home, potentially spiking borrowing costs
By Jason MaMay 17, 2026
9 hours ago
SpaceX heads into a record-shattering IPO with the 'deepest moat that exists today' as investors vow to 'never bet against Elon'
Innovation
SpaceX heads into a record-shattering IPO with the 'deepest moat that exists today' as investors vow to 'never bet against Elon'
By Jason MaMay 16, 2026
1 day ago
'No one was coming to save me': How Reese Witherspoon built a $900 million company from a problem Hollywood wouldn't fix
Success
'No one was coming to save me': How Reese Witherspoon built a $900 million company from a problem Hollywood wouldn't fix
By Sydney LakeMay 17, 2026
15 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.