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Morpheus 2016 Release - How does Sony successfully launch their VR platform?
- Thread starter James Sawyer Ford
- Start date
James Sawyer Ford
Member
I think Morpheus may retail for $250, which would only be a $50 discount.
Think of it this way: By the time Morpheus launches, PS4's audience may be 40 million or more. That's a LOT of existing "early adopters" that would be willing to throw down $250-299 for the hot new toy. Sony could be making a profit on this group, while subsidizing the casual new-audience that may be reluctant to drop down $599 for a separate PS4 and standalone Morpheus.
And then if Media Molecule's killer app truly is the go-to Morpheus game, then these audiences may pick that up as well, which they would profit greatly from.
Makes no sense to include a controller - the DS4 already is okay for most uses. Move will probably be the optional solution.
PS4 won't go down to 300, especially not early in a year. Usually happens in September, in preparation for the holiday season.
Definitely bundle some software with the purchase, no more than $300 , and what it needs most of all is software and marketing. E3 should have a ton of software pushed for the morpheus to get folks starting to get excited about it with the ability to try it out at all gamestops, best buys, walmarts. and any other place that has a ps4 that you can play with at a later time. Seriously this seems like it would be rather easy to demo compared to the occulus rift since half the hardware is already at all these stores with no real need to tweak it. Have the staff trained to help out with this product with all available info. And it honestly seems like it would be an easy sell. If they put the demo stations out before thanksgiving and folks see people playing with it and wondering what is going on it would be a great promotion push. But i honestly doubt this thing will have enough games to satisfy folks long enough for it to last.
An alternative version without Blu-ray yes. Not a replacement model.
You are assuming that Sony would make a profit at $250-$299. I doubt they are going to have any significant margin to cut down the price of a bundle even further. Only time will tell.
James Sawyer Ford
Member
I think this is a mistake. IMHO, Move and Morpheus need to be a packaged deal...is PS4 really "okay" for most uses? How would it be useful for Sports titles or something like the Heist demo?
Commanche Raisin Toast
Member
The move controllers look like they're not being changed, but rather being put in those handle things.
I think so long as there's a good number of both new titles launching with if and some existing titles updated with support it should do decently as far as launching.
I think so long as there's a good number of both new titles launching with if and some existing titles updated with support it should do decently as far as launching.
Uh, should be around the same amount. Most of those gigabytes consist of textures, images and video files, and those are not going to be hugely different from regular non-VR titles.
ChronotriggerJM
Member
I imagine the footprint on VR games will actually be much smaller. Complex textures and abundant geometry don't mean nearly as much in VR as they do on a TV screen. Prerendered videos will be non existent, everything will be real time.
JordanN
Banned
Create an entire marketing division for it.
Like seriously. Right next to Sony's own Headquarters, there should be a building dedicated just for supporting Morpheus.
One of the biggest problems Vita had was that Sony didn't create any teams for it. Morpheus needs to have studios that exist just to make content for it.
I think once they show they're dedicated to VR, everything else will fall into place.
Like seriously. Right next to Sony's own Headquarters, there should be a building dedicated just for supporting Morpheus.
One of the biggest problems Vita had was that Sony didn't create any teams for it. Morpheus needs to have studios that exist just to make content for it.
I think once they show they're dedicated to VR, everything else will fall into place.
They could still bundle the Move controller with the game that requires it.
I mean, how would you feel if you bought a first-person-shooter and feel it plays great with the regular controller, but still they bundled that Move controller with it that collects dust now? Yeah, bundle it with the games that require it, I say.
Cool. I thought that was probably the case, just hadn't thought about it before now and was curious.
TimeEffect
Member
Isnt 1080p going to be a huge boon? Or is that fine?
Also, I dont trust Sony to sell a side peripheral and make it big. The VITA and Move seem like they struggled to compliment the rest of the ecosystem.
I also genuinely hope Sony doesn't do what they did with VITA and make old IPs like Uncharted, Resistance, and Killzone for it. Because those don't sell well enough. I still firmly think that if VITA had PS2-era games and other neglected IPs instead of PS3 IPs that felt like downsized ports, it would have sold a lot better and be looked at as having a solid and unique library.
I want to see them partner with guys like DICE/EA for an FPS game, as opposed to seeing Killzone used as the pet project for VR FPS.
I also think they can make mad bank on casual IPs, like a virtual tourism/theme park game that all ages could try and play to sell VR.
We saw demos like the one where you are in a shark cage. But we also saw a similar demo for Move where the Move controllers were used for a sword and shield, which made many think we could see a Demon's Souls game with Move.
They showed off the possibilities but never had the studios to dedicate something more serious.
I dont know much about the technical aspects and pricing, but I wonder about the games.
Also, I dont trust Sony to sell a side peripheral and make it big. The VITA and Move seem like they struggled to compliment the rest of the ecosystem.
I also genuinely hope Sony doesn't do what they did with VITA and make old IPs like Uncharted, Resistance, and Killzone for it. Because those don't sell well enough. I still firmly think that if VITA had PS2-era games and other neglected IPs instead of PS3 IPs that felt like downsized ports, it would have sold a lot better and be looked at as having a solid and unique library.
I want to see them partner with guys like DICE/EA for an FPS game, as opposed to seeing Killzone used as the pet project for VR FPS.
I also think they can make mad bank on casual IPs, like a virtual tourism/theme park game that all ages could try and play to sell VR.
We saw demos like the one where you are in a shark cage. But we also saw a similar demo for Move where the Move controllers were used for a sword and shield, which made many think we could see a Demon's Souls game with Move.
They showed off the possibilities but never had the studios to dedicate something more serious.
I dont know much about the technical aspects and pricing, but I wonder about the games.
RoyalLaFlame
Banned
Yeah, I actually meant later this year (I got confused with Morpheus being release earlier next year), sorry.
And maybe they won't bundle it with a controller, yeah. Keeping the cost as low as possible and all that.
How about non-gaming content? Will stuff like virtual video/concert stuff balance out the average by being way bigger than games, or do we think that's mostly going to be on disk (or streaming?) Or are we not anticipating much PS support for that?
killertofu
Member
Besides price, I think they should focus on demos. Like, everywhere. Best Buy, the mall, wherever. Get some kiosks, get some Sony reps, and have people actually get to try it out.
Those reaction videos when the Oculus first started shipping proves to show that people definitely need to have the experience. A massive ad blitz isn't going to help much IMO
Those reaction videos when the Oculus first started shipping proves to show that people definitely need to have the experience. A massive ad blitz isn't going to help much IMO
ChronotriggerJM
Member
The Move would be the opposite of failing to compliment the rest of the system, it was pretty obvious when Sony designed the move that they had plans for VR. Sony has mo-cap studios after all, this isn't really a foreign concept.
The Vita didn't suffer from a lack of Sony support, it had great support in it's early years, the Vita was just a product that the market didn't need, and honestly, Sony was smart to back away from it and choose the path they did. It was never going to be big, no matter how much marketing they throw at it. Ports and smaller projects are just a better idea for the Vita now.
The market in it's current state, is eating up everything they can on VR. Almost every tech outlet is riding the wave of VR, and there seems to be a demand for it. If the market needs it, the support will follow.
Regarding this, I don't see that aspect changing much, I don't see how the world will be able to handle "live content" in virtual reality. So most of what we see will be digital, hardware created content. Virtual tours and such will be done with static images if I had to guess, and they would be created like any other form of content. Too much unknown in this space sadly, or too many gaps in my knowledge to speculate further :/
TimeEffect
Member
Right:
-Casual simulation game, like tourism can attract lots of audiences who want to explore famous places in the world
-Media deals to have virtual stadiums for live games/concerts would be cool
-Hardcore games for the core gamers
I feel like Sony *may* do the latter most option successfully, but it seems companies like MS are much better positioned to aggressively target other media uses, and I feel Sony should be positioning Morpheus to target those other uses too.
Zeouterlimits
Member
What I expect:
$350 - $400 = camera, headset, certain "games" included with another game or two in PS+ that opening few months.
$350 - $400 = camera, headset, certain "games" included with another game or two in PS+ that opening few months.
googleplex
Member
It won't be this X-Mas.
James Sawyer Ford
Member
1080p isn't a problem, nor is the power of the PS4. All the other major competitors are targeting mobile platforms for a reason, too.
VR isn't going to really replace traditional AAA titles. Definitely, porting "Uncharted, Killzone, etc" is not a strategy for success here.
VR is going to live and/or die on the new experiences it creates, rather than old-generation design philosophies. VR is an entirely new platform with entirely new design considerations.
This is actually a good thing, in my view -- to make a successful VR game, you won't necessarily need huge teams and budgets. The best looking VR games won't look like Uncharted 4 or The Order, they will look like Wind Waker or Tearaway -- this requires considerably smaller production budgets, and allows teams to spend more efforts on new design concepts in a totally unproven platform for gaming.
By extension, the best titles may come from games that are made by teams of only a handful of people, but have immense longevity due to the nature of the title itself. Vita never caught on because the titles it produced were already playable, in better form, on its console cousin.
These linear, AAA titles also don't have much longevity...which was another fault of the Vita -- there was no killer app that people bought the system for and played for years. VR will succeed because it will be doing things not possible on a PS4. Sony needs to be investing in the next minecraft or wii sports of VR, not the port or rushed second rate cousin of an Uncharted game.
Content releases won't be robust and on a timely fashion like AAA projects on consoles, so there will be droughts...the key here is to make the drought not seem like one, because the content that existed on day 1 is enough to sustain and engage audiences over the coming years (like Wii Sports / Minecraft). DLC may prove to be very important for VR for this very reason.
I have two moves and a PS camera already - I don't want to pay for a bundle with things I don't need.
Even if I didn't have a move, I may be happy to play with a DS4. And there was a GDC session showing examples of how to use the DS4 with VR so Sony probably thinks it is also a good option for control too.
I'm curious what this means for Sony first party games. Do they split their catalogue and make 'Vr games' and 'non-VR games', or do they encourage as many of their games as possible to support VR? And if they try and push VR support in more of their core games, does that mean a general push towards 60fps, or will they keep rolling out beautiful 30fps games and dial down the details for VR?
On the pricing situation: The headset itself isn't that expensive in terms of components (the screen is of course the most expensive part) but there is also the breakout box that is attached to it. It all depends on what they put in that box (or don't) to keep the price at bay.
I personally like the idea of Morph being wired.
It saves me battery woes, yet another charging station and the absence of a battery reduces weight and cost of the headset.
I personally like the idea of Morph being wired.
It saves me battery woes, yet another charging station and the absence of a battery reduces weight and cost of the headset.
Have you tried them?
I mean we don't even know the prices.
If it has the games I'll be happy to throw ~300 to it's very direction.
Finally someone who said it. We don't need the PS4 to run games like The Order in VR-adequate performance. A game like the Wind Waker can be mind blowing visually without taxing the system.
You think they will cut the price?
You'll get bigger harddrives and marginal prices changes , just like the PS3.
You create value, you don't hack the price down for no reason
Caleranatior
Neo Member
Thinking about existing games, The Unfinished Swan could be good if patched to use Morpheus. Possibly disorienting though, especially at the start.
Portugeezer
Member
They surprised us with the PS4 price, so I am hesitantly optimistic about the pricing for this too. Besides, you would probably have to buy some Move controllers for some games and I am not sure about a camera.
Problem are the games. For something that comes out in 12+ months I haven't seen many games aside from tech demos.
Problem are the games. For something that comes out in 12+ months I haven't seen many games aside from tech demos.
Louis Cyphre
Banned
If the timelines are in place the PS4 will be $299 when Morpheus arrives or maybe $349. Morpheus could be priced between 199 and 299 so that 499 bundle isn't out of the question.
Sony is well aware of when price drops will occur and when exactly they want to release Morpheus. 2016 will give the device sufficient time to create worthy software and have a large enough install base to make it a succes.
Peripherals have trouble taking off but if the software is there and the price is right out could become a high attach rate. Getting it out there for demo situations will greatly help word of mouth advertising.
Well, they have to do it regardless. Think how many skeptics we have on GAF, a lot of the time because they haven't tried it.... I expect that to be multiplied in the real world with less tech savvy people. They have to get people to use it somehow.
ChronotriggerJM
Member
The bad news, that I get the feeling you'll react negatively to, is that I think Indie developers will be what create that "healthy library". VR is the level playing field that indies and small team devs can use to really ramp up the creativity.
The big publishing houses won't get serious about VR until they know there's a hungry market for huge games. They'll definitely wait for further saturation.
That said, people aren't grasping the importance of presence. No Man's Sky, Wind Waker, Tearaway, and anything of that variety are going to be the truly killer apps that we'll want right out the gate. VR is a gateway to more imaginative experiences, people are thinking much too narrow for what VR will become.
James Sawyer Ford
Member
Yep. Graphics for VR do not equate to how many textures or polygons you are pushing.
Graphics in VR is all about -- how immersed am I in the world that has been designed? To achieve that immersive feeling, worlds will need to look clean rather than cluttered with detail. Over time, hardware will progress to the point where you will see more visually dense worlds, but not even the most powerful PC's are close to being ready for that yet.
This is quite a divergence from the traditional notions of graphics, and places far more importance on artistry and world design than some quantifiable number of light sources, polygons, texture work, etc. Games today are built around spectacle, and that is nauseating in VR.
Sidewinder
Member
loaf of bread
Member
$299 is the max price they'll sell it for. PS4 is pretty much guaranteed to be down to at least $350 by spring 2016. Sony isn't going to try to sell a peripheral for more than or even the same price as the console. It'll be between 199 and 299.
Also they need a demo station in nearly every retailer. Once the mass market tries it and its good it could end up really taking off big time.
Also they need a demo station in nearly every retailer. Once the mass market tries it and its good it could end up really taking off big time.
James Sawyer Ford
Member
What did Shu mention about E3? I must have missed it.
loaf of bread
Member
At the end of the conference the other day they said there will be more at E3. So expect final name, games, etc at E3. Expect price release date etc at PSX 2015