Sony’s forthcoming PlayStation VR headseat appears to need around 60 square feet (5.5 square metres) of open space for proper use, but still wants you to sit down while using it. That’s according to a newly released pamphlet on the device direct from Sony.
This, however, does not include dimensions for the PlayStation Camera, which the headset requires for proper use, that demand a further 9.8 feet by 6.2 feet (2.98 metres by 1.88 metres) of cleared space.
“Limit your use of PSVR to within the Play Area,” read the instructions on the pamphlet. “Clear an area larger than the Play Area of all obstacles before using PSVR and remain seated whenever possible. If the application requires you to stand while wearing the VR headset, follow the application instructions carefully, and maintain awareness of your surroundings.”
Meanwhile, according to PlayStation Asia, even the play area’s height will come into play, depending on how high up you’ve placed your PlayStation Camera.
And then you’ll need to figure out what to do with all those cables.
The dimensions the PSVR unit requires come as a bit of a surprise considering that it doesn’t function in the same way as something like the HTC Vive does, a device that requires you to create a play area using digital markers. This has some observers wondering about the quality of the PlayStation Camera and it’s ability to track your movement in a room with a bit of clutter. We all remember how the Kinect struggled with that when it first came out.
This also raises some significant concerns for those who live in apartments or smaller houses where that kind of space is going to be rather hard to find. On the other hand, it does provide the justification we needed to add a dedicated VR room/holodeck to the floor plan of our homes and office.
We’ll see what the experience is like when PlayStation VR releases on October 13.
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