Sounds Like Sony Is Working On A VR Gaming Headset

Where there’s smoke, there’s fire, and there’s too big a black cloud for something not to be burning here: it sounds like Sony is working on a virtual reality headset for video games.

Both Eurogamerand CVG are reporting that Sony has been developing a VR headset. The PlayStation makers originally planned to unveil their shiny new device at GamesCom in Germany last month, according to reports, but they pulled it at the last minute. CVG says Sony plans to reveal the device at the Tokyo Game Show later this month.

I heard the same thing from a different source two weeks ago, but couldn’t confirm the info, so I didn’t share it. Today’s reports make me feel more confident that this is indeed something that’s happening. (We’ve reached out to Sony for comment, and we’ll update if they choose to say something.)

This won’t be Sony’s first step into the world of virtual reality, of course—the House of Kaz has already released two versions of their HMZ headset, a silly-looking device that lets you watch movies in 3D. You can use the HMZ-T2 (pictured above) to play games, too, but reports have pegged it as rather uncomfortable, especially compared to the popular Oculus Rift. It’s also very pricey, targeting high-end customers who don’t mind dropping a grand on strange playthings.

Presumably this new device will be more of a mass-market VR device, which leads to a lot of interesting questions. Will it be multi-platform or PlayStation-only? Will it support every game you can buy on the PS4? Will people even really care, or will it go the way of the 3D television, highlighted oh-so-prominently at Sony’s E3 press conference in 2011? Is virtual reality the future of gaming?

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