Sony today announced the development of a new system for accessing virtual reality content on a PlayStation 4 console, demonstrating “the future of gaming”.
Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) today announced the development of “Project Morpheus”, a virtual reality (VR) system that takes the PlayStation 4 (PS4) system to a new level of immersion.
According to a statement issued today, Morpheus “demonstrates the future of gaming”, and Sony is looking towards “a future commercial launch”.
At SCE we view innovation as an opportunity to build on our mission to push the boundaries of play,” said Shuhei Yoshida, President of SCE Worldwide Studios. “Project Morpheus is the latest example of innovation from SCE, and we’re looking forward to its continued development and the games that will be created as development kits get into the hands of content creators.
Morpheus enables developers to create experiences that deliver a sense of presence – where players feel as though they are physically inside the virtual world of a game. Morpheus features a visor style head-mounted display and works seamlessly with PlayStation Camera to deliver a VR experience. Inertial sensors built into the head mount unit and PlayStation Camera track head orientation and movement. As the player’s head rotates, the image of the virtual world rotates naturally and intuitively. In some games, the player can use a PlayStation Move (PS Move) Motion Controller as an object, such as a sword. Morpheus will reproduce the players’ hands and swords within the game so players feel like they are physically fighting off enemies with their swords in the virtual world.
Morpheus adopts 3D audio technology developed by SCE. In addition to sounds coming from front, behind, left and right, Morpheus re-creates stereoscopic sounds heard from below and above the players, such as footsteps climbing up stairs below them, or engine noises of helicopters flying overhead. Sounds that players hear change in real-time depending on their head orientation, creating a highly realistic audio environment within an immersive 360-degree virtual world.
Along with PlayStation Camera, Wireless Controller for PS4, and PS Move, Morpheus will deliver immersive entertainment experiences to gamers through the PS4 system, leveraging SCE’s expertise across key areas for VR – including display/optics, audio, tracking, control, ease of use, and content.
Developers will be able to create Morpheus content for PS4, a platform which has sold over 6 million units only after 3 months and a half of its launch, and is continuing to show strong momentum. The Morpheus dedicated SDK is currently under development and will become available when ready.
Specifications of “Project Morpheus” Prototype
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