Global Game Jam 2022 is about to kick off, and Sony is backing the event by challenging budding developers to incorporate virtual reality into their games. With PSVR 2‘s upcoming release, Sony understandably wants to amp up VR development efforts and evidently doesn’t want to rely solely on existing studios to experiment with the technology.
Why having a strong library of PSVR 2 games matters
VR headsets are still seen as a novelty by many and have yet to become mainstream. We’ve seen some killer apps like Half-Life: Alyx but the market remains niche. Until and unless VR headsets boast a strong library, it’s unlikely that the adoption rate will see the kind of increase Sony wants. At Global Game Jam 2022, Sony wants participants to “be visionary.” “Enable VR support in your game, and/or implement eye-tracking capabilities as part of your game play,” the challenge reads.
Global Game Jam 2022 will take place between January 20 and 30 worldwide. It’ll be interesting to see how participants take on Sony’s challenge.
Opinion: Sony’s going all in on PSVR 2
Zarmena writes… It’s good to see Sony going all in on PSVR 2. PSVR was a good first step, and while releasing its technologically enhanced successor is the logical next step, players need to see a robust library of games to justify splashing money on a new headset or upgrading their existing device. We need more studios to consider VR development, starting with budding developers who have yet to kickstart their careers.
In other news, Microsoft dropped a bomb yesterday when it announced the acquisition of Activision Blizzard, and although the deal may arouse suspicion, it’s unlikely to run into legal headaches.
[Source: Global Game Jam]
