PlayStation VR: $399 In October

Sony has confirmed the PlayStation VR will cost $399, considerably cheaper than high-profile rivals. However, the release date has slipped back to October, later than planned.

The $399 price compares with $599 for the Oculus Rift and $799 for the HTC Vive. It will need a PS4 console whereas the other two will need a high-spec PC. Of course, that additional cost depends on what hardware you already have, though as a rough guide, PCs being specifically marketed as suitable for the virtual reality devices are going for around a thousand dollars.

Buyers will also need a camera and motion controller for the PS4 if they don’t already have one.

The release date was originally listed as sometime in the first half of this year. Sony’s statement on the delay implied that it is waiting to make sure there’s a wider range of games available at launch and that it can have a large enough initial manufacturing run to keep up with demand. It says more than 50 titles will be available by the end of the year.

The device will come with a free download of “The Playroom VR”, a collection of six party games designed to show off the technology. There’ll also be a bundled disc with demo content from six retail games.

Analysts quoted by the BBC said that although PlayStation VR will be technically inferior in most respects to the PC-based systems, its larger 120fps refresh rate could make for a more pleasurable experience. They also noted that it will be easier to guarantee a consistent performance, unlike with PCs where varying specs could mean a variable experience.