At this year’s Tokyo Game Show, it’s all about VR
Convention’s 20th anniversary will feature more than 600 exhibitors and over 1,000 new games
Virtual reality (VR) players are expected to steal the show when one of the world’s top gaming conventions kicks off on Thursday.
More than 600 exhibitors and over 1,000 new games—from Japanese and foreign firms—will be on display at the Tokyo Game Show, one of the most anticipated annual gatherings on gamers’ calendars.
The show, put on by the Computer Entertainment Supplier’s Association, will celebrate its 20th anniversary this year with a dedicated area for VR products, a reflection of just how dominant the phenomenon has become in the gaming sector.
Sony is among the brands generating buzz, with the PlayStation VR, a virtual reality headset for PS4 consoles, rumored to make an appearance at the show ahead of its October launch. According to IDC, about 43 million PS4 consoles have been sold so far.
“Sony will be the first company to popularize VR,” Patrick Moorhead, president and principal analyst at Moor Insights & Strategy, told CNBC’s “Squawk Box“ on Tuesday.
Existing headsets just don’t cut it, he explained. The Oculus Rift was hard to manage, while the Samsung Gear relied on a smartphone, which isn’t the best platform for VR’s high resolution, Moorhead said.
The PlayStation VR won’t be restricted to games, though. It could also be used to show live-theatre performances, tours of historical sites and music videos, Atsushi Morita, Sony’s Japan and Asia president for computer entertainment, told media this week.