PlayStation VR: The Sega CD of Our Time?

 

Anyone who has perused a gaming or technology site within the past year has no doubt been informed of the upcoming VR boom. With so many virtual reality headsets and kits so close to release from Sony, Google, Samsung, Oculus, and others, 2016 will be known as the Year of VR. Virtual reality is one of the holy grails of technology; it has been dreamt of for decades and has existed for years in a very tight niche, but with this year's releases VR will finally be available to the masses and used in the comfort of the home. Right now all eyes are on Sony's offering: PlayStation VR.

On paper, the whole project sounds mesmerizing, albeit quite vague. PSVR is an add-on kit for the existing PlayStation 4, essentially a headset allowing the player to be fully immersed in the gaming world. It works in conjunction with standard DualShock 4 controllers (also perhaps the motion-based PlayStation Move controller) and the PlayStation Camera for head tracking. It is set to be released some point this year along with a host of VR-compatible games… and that’s really all we know. For a device set to release within mere months, there are many glaring points that are still unclear:

-What is the power situation? Clearly there’s some kind of hard-wiring or battery life to be discussed.

-How exactly does it connect to the console?

-Most of the “games” shown so far are tech demos, nothing that would seem to captivate for more than a single session. Perhaps more insight on the games themselves?

-If this supports (the currently discontinued) PS Move controllers, will they be re-manufactured for general purchase? Could this usher a resurgence in the Move system, maybe even new PS4 Move (not necessarily VR) titles?

-What is the price??! It can’t possibly be cheap, and many analyst rumors place the price above the cost of the PS4 itself.

There’s also the two main points that must be covered in any advertising/PR campaign, both have which gone unanswered:

-Who is the target audience, and what is the key message?

In other words, who is buying this and why? Why should I want this? Most importantly, why should game developers want to utilize PSVR, which will certainly drive up costs and time? What is the ROI, the return on investment?

Hz rate, low latency, blah blah blah. Hype without justification, so far at least...

Now is an excellent time to reference this article’s title, and look back on video game history. This whole PSVR question mark greatly echoes an add-on from 25 years ago: the Sega CD. Back in 1992, Sega released a CD-ROM add-on for its Genesis console, allowing games to take advantage of CD-quality audio, data storage and other graphical tricks. After an exciting launch window, the Sega CD dwindled into obscurity and duped its early adopters, having been promised an exciting future of exclusive game experiences.

The Sega CD failed for many reasons, starting with price. A $300 add-on for a $200 console was a very hard sell, especially to the teenage market which relied on the graces of their parents’ money. The Sega CD also required its own power supply, which back in the 90s referred to a giant brick to plug in the wall (taking up the room of several sockets), next to the brick the Genesis required, and next to the plugs needed for the TV, VCR, cable box, stereo system… many gamers simply could not find room to plug it in! However, the Sega CD’s fatal flaw was in its game selection. It heavily banked on the new genre of FMV (full motion video) games, essentially movies requiring specific button presses at the right time that would guide the show along. Unfortunately this lead to games that didn’t quite feel like games, and on a console that graphically wasn’t up to snuff. Yes, the Sega CD could play video clips, but at a horrible frame rate and a dreadful color density. It was technology that arrived too soon. Other games were merely Genesis titles with a revamped soundtrack and perhaps an extra level or two. Nice, yes, but not at the expense of $500 plus the cost of games. Games did exist for the Sega CD that were truly exclusive, and took full advantage of the add-on and all its qualities, but these titles were much too few and far between. Sega barely mentioned the add-on after its launch, focusing more on the core Sega Genesis, and finally discontinued it in 1995.

Price, wiring, sub-par games, poor support. Hmm… noticing a pattern?

Sega's ads really laid it on thick. Sometimes this kind of marketing works, but sometimes...

If there is one thing Sony is good at, it is selling hardware, and this goes beyond gaming. They’ve managed to sell hundreds of millions in electronics through the years: Trinitrons, Vaios, Walkmen, Xperias, PlayStations… but Sony also has a habit of abandonment. Their consumer electronics are updated and re-released religiously, killing support for the previous model immediately after their introduction. “Here’s the next new thing. Now here’s the next new thing. Don’t hold onto the old one, get this one now!” It is a common philosophy in the industry, but video games are a bit different. Game consoles have traditionally been designed to last several years, and PlayStations are notorious for their long lifespans. However their add-ons… it’s a whole other story. PlayStation add-ons are commonly hyped beyond belief, released at questionable prices, supported very infrequently with non-captivating games or marketing and then swept under the rug when they (understandably) haven’t sold enough to Sony’s liking. Remember the PlayStation 2’s Hard Drive? The EyeToy? How about the aforementioned PlayStation Move? Remember the giant marketing blitz for the Move just a few years ago, leaving us with a ton of peripherals, charging devices, regret, and only a half-dozen games that were really worth playing? (Many of which were old ports from the Nintendo Wii...)

Even the PlayStation Vita has received this treatment. The Vita is Sony’s current PlayStation handheld, but you would never know it. It too received incredible hype and a big launch, only for its sales numbers to not be in the billions in its first week (which of course they would not!). But instead of Sony building the Vita ecosystem and supporting it with software and advertising, they banished the Vita to the basement, a failure that never was given a chance. 

Now, PlayStation VR is Sony’s golden child du jour. Hype hype hype, unclear details, but also now gamers who are aware of Sony’s patterns. PSVR has rightfully gained a lot of skepticism from gamers and analysts, who question its technological merit, game selection, logistics and of course, ROI for developers and consumers. In many ways, PlayStation VR is becoming another EyeToy, Move, and Sega CD combined. 

Let’s not forget that back in the 90s, Sony was a prolific third-party developer for the Sega CD! They found invaluable experience working for the CD add-on that they knew was doomed so they could practice for their future CD-based console, the original PlayStation. It isn’t like Sony has no idea of the Sega CD’s sad story because they were a part of it! Wouldn’t they think of not repeating the Sega CD’s mistakes?

Sterility is the main theme of the PSVR's advertising.

Sony’s VR has been in development for years, and only just now feels confident enough to give it a proper release. Well if they’re that confident about it then what is with the continued opaque secrecy? Hype is one thing, but details are another. What are they still scared of, and what details are they still trying to hide behind the sizzle reels and PR jargon? If deep down, the tech still isn’t completely there, then it shouldn’t be released quite yet. The Sega CD released with the technology dangling by a thread, and look how that backfired. If the games haven’t made it past the demo stage, if there’s no real way they’ve proved yet how VR enhances the experience and makes going back to TV gaming impossible, then maybe we’re still not ready yet. Many consoles and add-ons fail because the games themselves just didn’t come to fruition. Look no further than the Wii U for proof of that.

PlayStation VR’s fate can be divined by a statement as old as the gaming industry. Since when has an add-on ever been truly successful? The answer: never.

Good luck, PSVR.

Borgata's House Edge

It’s hard to figure out what’s worse: the dead Revel rotting on the boardwalk, or the flourishing Borgata refusing to share its wealth.

In the latest Atlantic City quagmire, the spotlight is on the Borgata. Upon opening in 2003, it took the city by storm and became the state’s most consistently successful casino. (Perhaps even, the most successful casino on the East Coast.) Where many other casinos have started strong but have since faded, Borgata continues to reinvent itself and caters to every demographic over the age of 21. Young or old, rich or not-so, clubber or diner, gambler or shopper… anyone who enjoys a break from the norm can find plenty to see and do at Borgata. For over 12 years that has been an undisputed fact.

So as AC’s king of the hill, it’s no surprise the Borgata rakes in a windfall every month… largely for itself. Granted that is the nature of business, but keep in mind the whole reason casinos were allowed in Atlantic City was so they could pay it forward. Keep most for themselves but give Atlantic City itself a share, so they could fix up the town and re-spark the magic (that it so desperately needs). Though they all pay their taxes, almost every casino company operating in AC is guilty of not doing their part in revitalizing the city. Instead they feed their profits toward their (Vegas-based) parent companies, neither helping out the city nor really themselves, allowing the casinos to remain stuck in the 80s. Only recently have the AC casinos gone through heavy renovations; and in places like Tropicana and Bally’s one can still find old ‘relics’ that do little to boost their image. Other casinos that have remained almost untouched since 1984, such as the Atlantic Club and Trump Plaza, didn’t renovate but chose to shutter.

Borgata is arguably the only casino in Atlantic City on par with the best of Las Vegas.

Borgata though, is a bit different. It is owned by Marina District Development, a company that, put very simply, only exists for the Borgata. It started out as various things with various owners (Wynn, MGM, and Boyd among others all having some affiliation now or at one time) all converging on this one resort to galvanize AC’s marina district. The Borgata is the result of their disjointed joint efforts, and has become a major success. The ends justified the means. Because the Borgata has no overhead to pay to, it has been allowed to put all of its profit back into itself, continuing its expansions and maintaining the gold standard. This is the simple reason why the Borgata has always been in the lead.

With big profits come big taxes, and the Borgata generally played along, doing the right thing paying its property taxes and being a good little boy… until now. As incredulous as it sounds, Atlantic City is almost out of money. The city itself is nearly bankrupt and Gov. Christie is this close to having the state take over the city’s affairs. How this managed to happen, especially in a city with casino profits in the billions, is mind-numbing. Despite all this, for years the Borgata knew it were owed hundreds of millions in tax appeals by the city, and its finally put its foot down. Taxes it overpaid (that they barely financially felt) to a city with no money currently in the bank.

A rich entity giving too much to a broke entity. Let that sink in. That hypocrisy. That asininity.

Now, understandably, Borgata wants its money back. All $170 million of it. Until it starts getting back their returns, it will withhold paying its current taxes. So far it already refused to make a $7.2 million payment. That is money the city needs very badly right now (though honestly it’s middling compared to the larger picture). On one hand, one can’t blame the Borgata. That $170 million is money it dutifully paid over they years and is entitled to have back. It was not the city’s to have in the first place. Imagine you not getting your tax return because the country couldn’t afford it, of course you’d be upset but also in awe as to how that situation is possible.

But at the same time, see it the other way. This city that gave the Borgata life is in a bad position, and stressing it even further with tax returns runs the risk of financially destroying the casino’s home. If the Borgata was a team player, they would pardon the refunds and maybe even give the city a little more of the resort’s major profits to try and help it out.

Only these are not two schoolyard friends having each other’s back. One is a cold, hard business and the other is cold, hard government. And business is not entitled to help government. There’s no reason to be “nice.” It’s capitalism, pure and simple. The American Way. Trump 2016.

Borgata's main expansion, The Water Club, is a perfect example of the resort's constant innovation.

Even if Atlantic City shut down completely and the Borgata closed (which would never happen), the Marina District Development execs would simply “cash out” and open somewhere else. Or even just rest on their lucrative laurels. They’ve already won. The city and the government at large would be forced to deal with it, on top of all their other issues. And like most other Americans, wary of big government, by refusing future tax payments and insisting on their returns, the Borgata is simply saying, “Screw ‘em.”

Here’s hoping it all works out, though unless someone really goes off-script it’s unlikely anything will.