PlayStation VR Price Could Be $400 To $600 As Analyst Expects Big Year For Virtual Reality

The PlayStation VR price tag is predicted to be between $400 and $600, according to a new research report, putting it in line with the Oculus Rift, which will sell for $599, not including hardware.

Analysts at market research firm Super Data expect 2016 to be a big year for VR. Beyond pricey offerings from Sony and Facebook's Oculus, "light mobile VR" headsets — such as Google Cardboard — will grab significant share. Of the predicted 38.9 million VR headsets to be sold in 2016, 27.1 million will be light mobile VR headsets, Super Data said. The PlayStation VR is predicted to sell 1.9 million units.

VR gaming revenue will hit $5.1 billion in 2016, according to Super Data's "Virtual Reality 2016: Gaming Market Brief." The market will be driven by low-price VR headsets that can be easily assembled and attached to mobile devices. Google Cardboard could be made by users or purchased for around $20. Europe is predicted to be the leading early adopter of VR with an estimated $1.9 billion in sales.

"Consumers will use their smartphones to first explore virtual reality, before committing to the more expensive platforms. After this first wave, it is the more high-end devices on PC and console that will drive growth," the Super Data analysts wrote in a note accompanying the brief.

The high barrier of entry for PC or console VR headsets led many to balk about the Oculus Rift price revealed Wednesday. The Rift price was set at $599, but many potential users will need to make sure their PC is VR-ready. That means an additional investment in hardware upgrades.

Oculus is offering a Rift and PC bundle for $1,499. At $600 — the high end of Super Data's estimate — the total price of the PlayStation VR will be $950 if a PS4 is factored into the equation. That's why PC VR headset sales are predicted to be around 6.6 million based on the strength of the Rift and HTC Vive. PlayStation VR sales are expected to be around 1.9 million.

The Oculus Rift has become a reality for consumers, which means there's one more highly anticipated virtual reality headset shrouded in mystery.

Sony's PlayStation VR is expected to be released in the first half of 2016, but no word on price or ship date by the Japanese electronics giant. At CES 2016, Kaz Hirai, president and CEO of Sony, discussed the PlayStation VR without further details regarding a price or date. There will be 100 games for the PlayStation VR, Hirai said in an interview with BBC.