Sony isn’t having any trouble at all selling PlayStation 4 consoles. In fact, the company just announced that PS4 sales to date have surpassed 5.3 million units. The Japanese gaming giant continues to sell consoles about as quickly as it can build them, but as is always the case, things are bound to slow down eventually as new consoles age and the novelty dwindles. So, what will be the next big catalyst that gives the new video game console generation an added boost? Will it simply be price cuts or cheaper versions of each box, or are we in store for something new and special?
On the Xbox One side of things, Microsoft is working on a new technology called “IllumiRoom,” which very well might be the most awesome thing we have ever seen. If it launches, it definitely could be this console generation’s Kinect — the new addition to Xbox that gives sales a late boost — provided Microsoft can find a way to make it affordable.
Where Sony’s PS4 is concerned, Sony is also reportedly working on creating a more immersive gaming experience, but it is taking a more traditional route.
A number of rumors have suggested that the company is developing its own virtual reality headset that will integrate tightly with the PlayStation 4 console and surround the wearer with game content. Now, well-known industry insider Ahsan Rasheed, or “Thuway” as he is known, claims to have knowledge of several different prototypes of the device. While he says he cannot share any specifics, he did say that Sony’s virtual reality solution is going to be “amazing.”
“Ugh I just got a bit of info I was sworn to secrecy on,” Rasheed wrote in a post on Twitter. “VR is going to be amazing. You will say KANDO.” As DualShockers noted, kando means “creating emotion” and is a term Sony President Kazuo Hirai used to describe the company’s new products at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show.
Rasheed continued in a separate post, “Very interesting solutions, multiple prototypes, but the end product is Hnnnnng. Say hello to Gran Turismo 7.”
The insider offered no hint as to when Sony’s rumored virtual reality headset might launch.
