Sony ships a headset that plugs into a console

What happened

Compromises were deliberate throughout. The display resolution sat below its computer-based rivals, tracking relied on a single camera watching illuminated markers on the headset and controllers rather than base stations covering a room, and most software was designed for seated or standing play in one spot. In exchange, the entry requirement dropped to a console millions of households already owned. The processor box that came with it handled certain rendering tasks and mirrored the picture to a television, which mattered for a living room device where other people are usually watching.

That accessibility produced the generation's largest headset audience by a clear margin. Support from a major console publisher also meant funded, finished games rather than technology demonstrations, including horror titles, arcade shooters, rhythm games and virtual reality modes added to existing releases. Comfort remained a real constraint, and the headset was often described as something used in short sessions rather than for whole evenings. Its commercial performance nonetheless made a plain point: for virtual reality, price and simplicity mattered more than image quality.

The world at the time

Two expensive computer headsets had shipped months earlier to enthusiastic reviews and modest sales, held back by cost and hardware requirements. Roughly forty million consoles were already in homes, along with a camera peripheral sold for other purposes. The obvious opportunity was to reuse all of it rather than ask families to buy a new computer.

What it changed

A second-generation console headset followed years later with hand tracking, better displays and a single cable, though by then standalone devices dominated the market. The strategy of attaching virtual reality to existing hardware persisted, and the library built for the first model became one of the few substantial collections of professionally produced virtual reality games.