PS4 Morpheus VR Headset Launching in 2016

Today during a special event at the Game Developers Conference, Sony announced that a consumer model of the PlayStation 4 VR headset Project Morpheus will launch in the first half of 2016. A new prototype headset was also revealed, which you can see above.

The new Morpheus prototype features nine tracking LEDs, which Sony says should make positional tracking more accurate. The new prototype, which features a 5.7-inch screen, also supports a 100-degree field of view and 360-degree tracking.

Enhancements are being made to the new Morpheus headset centered around ergonomics and display. The latest model sports a 1920 x RGB x 1080 OLED display, meaning all pixels have RGB sub-pixels. This enables low persistence, removing motion blue cased by the LCD screen from the original prototype, Sony said.

The newest Morpheus prototype also features a 120hz refresh rate, which is double compared to the first edition, Sony said.

Sony has also made improvements to the Morpheus design in terms of comfort. The new prototype features a single band headset design and quick release button. This, Sony says, should make it easier for players to put it on and take it off. The new headset is also lighter than the original model, hopefully helping users find it to be more comfortable during play sessions.

Pricing for the consumer model of Morpheus was not announced. Sony also confirmed it will show more games for the device at E3 in June and during other industry events.

"With the technical specs achieved on the new prototype, we are one step closer to realizing our vision for making amazing VR experiences on PS4, and ultimately to deliver a real sense of presence to players," PlayStation executive Shuhei Yoshida said. "We believe that the near-final technology of Morpheus combined with the power of PS4 will provide a standard for game developers to target as they build on their creative ideas and turn them into VR games and experiences."

GameSpot is getting a first-hand look at the new Morpheus headset today at GDC. Check back later for lots more.

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