It sounds like PlayStation creator Ken Kutaragi isn’t very fond of immersive headsets.
In a recent interview with Bloomberg, Kutaragi branded such devices — which presumably includes those made by his former employer — as “simply annoying.”
“Headsets would isolate you from the real world, and I can’t agree with that,” he said. “Headsets are simply annoying.”
Kutaragi’s comments have been echoed by others in the past, though his standing within the industry certainly gives his words some weight. He spearheaded Sony’s leap into gaming in the early 90’s with the creation of the original PlayStation, eventually going on to become CEO of that division of the business, then known as Sony Computer Entertainment. He departed Sony in 2007, however, shortly before the company would first begin experimenting with the technology that would lead to the eventual release of PSVR in late 2016. He now heads up Japanese Robotics firm, Ascent Robotics.
Kutaragi was also skeptical of the concept of the metaverse, saying: “Being in the real world is very important, but the metaverse is about making quasi-real in the virtual world, and I can’t see the point of doing it. You would rather be a polished avatar instead of your real self? That’s essentially no different from anonymous messageboard sites.”
Clearly, the current PlayStation division, now called Sony Interactive Entertainment, doesn’t share its founder’s concerns – a second PSVR headset is officially on the way. It will connect to the PS5 console via a wire, and we’re hoping for a possible release later this year.
Do you agree with Kutaragi’s comments? Let us know in the comments below!
