Sony sees promise in VR tank battles.
European developer Rebellion announced today that its upcoming virtual reality game for PlayStation 4, Battlezone, will have Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe as its publisher. The tank-based Battlezone is a new take on a 1980 arcade game of the same name. It launches on October 13, the same day as the PlayStation VR headset comes out for the PlayStation 4. Analysts are predicting that VR could generate $40 billion in revenues by 2020.
Virtual reality is happening now on PC via the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. To thrive on the PlayStation 4, Sony will need compelling software to encourage players to pay $400 for the new device.
“2016 is the year of VR, and we are committed to providing a full range of the best and most innovative experiences for PlayStation VR at launch,” Usama Al-Qassab, vice president of marketing at Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe, said in a press release sent to GamesBeat. “We have been working with a number of independent studios to bring their creative visions to life, and are delighted to be partnering with Rebellion to bring the classic Battlezone franchise to PlayStation VR.”
Most PlayStation VR titles will only be downloadable, but this publishing deal gives Battlezone a boxed version for retail.