PlayStation VR (PS VR) Collecting (Part 1, Intro)
This series will be everything you need to know to start collecting for the PlayStation VR!
PlayStation VR (PS VR) is one of my favorite platforms to collect for these days. I find the PS VR to be an intriguing footnote in video game history. Being one of the first of the big three video game companies to dive into modern virtual reality (No Virtual Boy, you do not count), Sony took it upon themselves on October 13th of 2016 to release their very first iteration of the PS VR system across the world, retailing for $399 in the United States. This included the headset itself, all of the wires to hook it up, the external processor box, and a pair of earbuds. There also were other bundles that included the PlayStation Move controllers, the Playstation Camera (which many games require), and sometimes even software. The PS VR peripheral is compatible with all models of the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 consoles (Note: The PlayStation 5 requires an extra USB adapter to function). We will examine the hardware and accessories in a future article.
Believe it or not, the Playstation VR software library is quite extensive. By checking the North American PlayStation store as of this writing, there are 483 results after sorting by the “PS VR” filter. (Note this does not include PSVR 2 titles, as those have their own filter category). Currently, there are over 100 PS VR physical games released in the North American region, not including variants and special editions. There are also many physical exclusives released in the European, Japan, and Asia regions. Plenty to collect for this unique peripheral. The fact is, there is something for everyone! There are a plethora of shooters and rhythm games to be found, but the majority ends up being interactive “experiences” that allow the VR headset to come to life.
Want to swim with the sharks? Check out PlayStation Worlds. Want to fight like they did in medieval times? Better load up Swordsman. Or maybe you want to build your own rollercoaster and take a ride in Rollercoaster Tycoon Joyride. The best part about collecting for the PS VR, is that almost all of the titles in the software library are obtainable at very reasonable prices, usually under the $20 mark. There are some exceptions to this rule, like the Limited Run Games exclusive titles, and a few other anomalies like the extremely fun Job Simulator. But overall, the time is now to collect for the PS VR. Especially with GameStop running sales on preowned software and the upcoming February 2023 release of the PlayStation VR 2 system, this older hardware and software is being sold off at very reasonable prices. This is most likely because Sony has announced that by default the PS VR software will be incompatible with the new PS VR 2 hardware unless the software developer decides to update the game and release a PS VR 2 compatibility patch.
I am super excited to take you through a journey of collecting for this wonderful peripheral, which will I will divide into multiple parts:
Part 1 - Introduction to the PS VR Platform. (This article)
Part 2 - Collecting software for the PS VR.
Part 3 - Examining the hardware and accessories for the PS VR.
Part 4 - The future of PS VR collecting.
Join us next time as we examine the PS VR physical software library in depth. We will take a look at various markings and logos on the software cases, talk about variants, and provide resources for you to start (or expand upon) your PS VR collecting journey.
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