Last July 28, 2016, PlayStation Asia announced availability and pricing of the PlayStation VR for Asian countries. On July 30, the announced that the PlayStation VR was going to be on display for trial at SM Megamall, at the Sony Store, starting July 31. I immediately made plans to go. I needed to experience VR for the first time, even if I'd be watched by dozens of people.
We got there a little late, around 2PM. I was afraid I'd have to line up for hours before getting to give it a go. But surprisingly, the crowd wasn't all that big.
I think people aren't as excited as I thought they'd be. Gaming in the Philippines is still very niche, unless you start counting mobile.
After 15-20 minutes of waiting, it was my turn. The headset itself fit very well even though I had my glasses on the whole time. You can adjust the headset from the front/ visor part and from the back. I have a fairly normal sized head for Asians, and it wasn't a problem getting a snug fit. Even kids can wear it with no problems.
Thank you, little boy and little boy's parents for letting me take the picture.
I got to play a game called Gunjack, which feels like an on-rails shooter where you aim with your head movement instead of a stick. I was impressed with the 1:1 tracking, though the experience reminded me a lot of Killzone 3 on the PlayStation Move.
Incidentally, I want that shirt.
Is it gimmicky? No, I wouldn't say so. I think it's a platform that can be expanded quite a bit. I think a big limiting factor here would be the imagination of the people creating the software to make the most out of the headset.
So, should you pre-order? I say, wait and see. Wait for that killer app that you'd absolutely have to play. Wait for newer bundles that'll come out. Wait for improvements on the hardware. Hell, wait for the PS4K before making a decision. We won't know if this is indeed truly game-changing, or if it'll be another case of a great idea that falls short. I'm looking at you, PlayStation Move.
But of course, ultimately, the decision is up to you. So, Sony invites you to come over to SM Megamall to give their PlayStation VR a try to see for yourself if it's worthy of that day 1 purchase.