Feature: Five Possible PS4 Virtual Reality Experiences to Whet Your Appetite

Sony’s rumoured virtual reality headset may be the worst kept secret in the video game industry. While the platform holder’s yet to publicly acknowledge the oft-discussed device, it’s been a source of insider excitement for over six months now. We first heard about the Oculus Rift-inspired accessory way back in September, when a Eurogamer.net report outed the motion tracking mask. Subsequent chit-chat suggested that the PlayStation 4 powered gadget was set for an unveiling at the Tokyo Game Show a little later in the month, but was pulled due to the platform holder’s desire to focus on its next-gen launch.

That turned out to be true, as the unit was nowhere to be seen at the organisation’s home tradeshow. Still, there’s barely been a month that's passed since where we haven’t heard a tidbit about the wearable widget, with enthusiasm seemingly centring on next week’s Game Developers Conference. In recent years, the platform holder has casually transformed the developer centric event into a consumer focused affair, with the PlayStation Move famously making its debut at the San Francisco show a few years ago. Now the manufacturer is preparing to reveal the future of innovation on PlayStation at this year’s convention, and you can bet your wallet that the aforementioned headset will put in an appearance.

With the device almost certain to make its debut, then, we thought that it would be fun to predict some of the software that may support it. As with any add-on, it’s going to be a challenge to convince third-parties to get behind the standalone accessory, but hopefully these suggestions – which are all based upon software already announced for Sony’s next-gen system – will give you a glimpse at what the future could hypothetically hold.

Destiny

A multiformat game that’s being cleverly marketed as a PlayStation exclusive, if any third-party title’s going to employ Sony’s hush-hush headset, it’s going to be Destiny. The rapidly approaching Bungie developed release would make a perfect fit for the peripheral as well, overlaying HUD elements right in front of your face to further immerse you in its world. Furthermore, the ambitious online shooter’s first-person perspective should make a solid companion for the accessory’s motion tracking capabilities, allowing you to examine your lush surroundings by naturally tilting your head, rather than faffing around with the DualShock 4.

DriveClub

The most likely candidate on this countdown, some pundits speculate that DriveClub’s last minute delay may have actually been fuelled by Sony’s virtual reality device. It makes a lot of sense too, as the title is in production at Evolution Studios, a team that has strong ties to the research and development group that previously spearheaded the platform holder’s stereoscopic 3D push. Implementation would be simple and effective: with the next-gen exclusive emphasising its cockpit perspective, the virtual reality headset could easily allow you to look around the internals of your virtual supercar without ever needing to touch an analogue stick.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance

If there’s one perspective that stands to benefit best from the advent of affordable virtual reality experiences, it’s the popular first-person viewpoint. While the likes of Destiny may give you a window into another world, though, it’s titles like Kingdom Come: Deliverance that present the opportunity to take you back in time. A medieval adventure set in 15th century Europe, the PlayStation 4 escapade could employ Sony’s wearable widget to allow you to fully inspect every crevice of its CryEngine-powered open world. Furthermore, with tense swordplay at the heart of this historical experience, the hypothetical headset would better immerse you in the title’s core combat.

Strike Suit Zero

An impending indie arcade space combat game that sees you pilot a lone craft in the centre of gigantic intergalactic skirmishes, Strike Suit Zero is an objectives-based affair that sees you carrying out missions of increasing importance in order to aid your allies against opposing cosmic colonies. While the crux of this astronomical excursion centres on your ability to transform into a mech, the title also features a first-person cockpit view, making it perfect for headset-powered stargazing. Moreover, it would make the perfect competitor to EVE: Valkyrie, which has very much become the poster child for virtual reality on the Oculus Rift.

The Playroom

A title that’s flaunted the unique features of the PS4 ever since its arrival last year, Sony appears to be committed to expanding free application The Playroom for the foreseeable future. Existing minigames primarily take advantage of the PlayStation Camera, but also demonstrate how the additional input options on the DualShock 4 can enhance your gaming experiences. With this in mind, we could certainly see the platform holder adding in a handful of nifty technology demos to showcase the power of its impending Oculus Rift-esque accessory, with the emphasis here primarily being to impress rather than offer any real longevity.

Do any of these proposed virtual reality experiences tickle your fancy, or does the peripheral-based concept not really appeal to you? Share your own thoughts and suggestions in the comments section below.