As expected, Sony has officially unveiled the heavily rumored virtual reality headset for the PlayStation 4. Dubbed "Project Morpheus," the system revealed at GDC yesterday is a prototype, but marks "the next innovation from SCE that will shape the future of games."
"I have long dreamed about VR and the possibilities it brings in regards to game development," SCE Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida said. "This new technology will deliver a sense of presence, where you as the player actually feel like you’re inside the game and your emotions feel that much more real."
The current prototype features a head mounted display with 1080p resolution and a 90 degree field of view. Accelerometer and gyroscope sensors are built into the head mounted unit, and the PlayStation Camera will accurately tracks head orientation and movement, so as your head rotates, the image of the virtual world will rotate intuitively in real-time. The headset also boasts new 3D audio technology that re-creates stereoscopic sounds in all directions and changes in real-time depending on the orientation of your head.
"The prototype for Project Morpheus is the culmination of our work over the last 3+ years as we’ve refined our vision for VR. This prototype will serve as the first development kit for PS4 developers that are as enthusiastic about this new medium as we are," Yoshida said.
In addition to working with the PlayStation Camera, Project Morpheus works with the DualShock 4 Controller and PlayStation Move for an "easy-to-use, plug-and-play VR experience." Pricing for the VR headset was not discussed as it's only in the prototype stage. GDC 2014 attendees can check out technology demos for Project Morpheus at SCEA's booth.
[PS Blog]
