In Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality News
January 8, 2020 – This week at CES 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada, Sony Interactive Entertainment has announced another year of successful holiday sales. The company stated that PlayStation Network’s (PSN) December 2019 monthly active users have reached 103 million, and that the PlayStation 4 (PS4) console has sold through more than 106 million units globally. The cumulative sales of PS4 software titles from retailers and the PlayStation Store have reached 1.15 billion as of December 31, 2019.
Included within these successful figures is Sony’s virtual reality gaming offering, PlayStation VR (PSVR), which the company announced during its keynote presentation at CES that sales for the PSVR platform had reached a milestone of 5 million units sold.
“I am very pleased to see that so many PlayStation fans value the unparalleled entertainment experience on PS4,” said Jim Ryan, President and CEO of SIE. “This has been made possible by the support we have from our partners and fans since launching PlayStation in 1994, and I would like to truly thank everyone. We’ve consistently delivered innovative products like PlayStation VR, which has reached its 5 million unit sales milestone. There is much more entertainment experience to look forward to that the PlayStation ecosystem will provide that we can’t wait to share with our fans.”
The company has stated that it will continue to deliver highly anticipated titles such as ‘The Last of Us Part II’; and ‘Ghost of Tsushima’, further pushing the boundaries of play made possible by the PS4 system as it enters its 7th year. Sony will also focus on the distribution of games from its partners, including unique experiences from indie game developers.
In addition to PSVR figures being announced, Sony has also been showcasing its latest virtual and augmented reality technology at CES 2020 this week. This includes its 3D Volumetric Visual Technology:
3D Spatial Reality Display Technology
Sony’s has showcased its unique eye-sensing Light Field Display, which uses high-speed vision sensors and face recognition algorithms to enable super high precision spatial reality experiences not found in conventional naked-eye 3D displays. According to the company, the technology can be easily applied to VR and AR content, providing a versatile volumetric content creation environment for creators in various fields such as entertainment and product design.
Virtual Production Technology using 3D Volumetric Capture
The Sony booth has also featured a virtual production set which transforms the way motion pictures and TV shows are made. The set has been captured from the Sony Pictures studio lot as photo-realistic volumetric data and is shown as a background image on a Crystal LED display. The background changes in real time with the movement of the camera, ensuring the final image has the proper perspective and depth. Virtual production allows directors, cinematographers, and actors to experience the scene as if they are really there, and provides creative flexibility where film production can take place at any time, according to the company.
Additionally, Sony has announced the expansion of devices compatible with its 360 Reality Audio, the immersive audio experience that became initially available in North America and Europe in fall 2019. At the Sony booth, visitors can experience 360 Reality Audio by combining headphones and smartphones with participating streaming services, while a reference exhibit demonstrates how 360 Reality Audio can be enjoyed through a sound bar and a wireless speaker for an experience that feels just like being in a space with artists.
For more information about Sony at CES this year, click here.
Image credit: Sony Interactive Entertainment
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About the author
Sam Sprigg
Sam is the Founder and Managing Editor of Auganix. With a background in research and report writing, he has been covering XR industry news for the past seven years.
