http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2014-09-25-sony-morpheus-gamble-could-change-course-of-vr
Sony's pricepoint + bundling solutions + defacto 3D controllers and plug-and-play nature will aid them greatly.
Edit:
right now it feels like Sony is going to launch a reasonably cost-effective VR headset while Oculus is still in the prototyping phase
Oculus Connect showed off a new prototype of Rift which is still clearly in a process of evolution. The new hardware is lighter and more comfortable - closer to being a final product, in short - but it's also still adding new features and functionality to the basic unit. Oculus, unlike Sony, still doesn't feel like a company that's anywhere close to having a consumer product ready to launch.
These are two very different strategic approaches to the market. The worrying thing is that they can't both be right. If Oculus is correct and VR still needs a lot of fine-tuning, prototyping and figuring out before it's ready for the market, then Sony is rushing in too quickly and risks seriously damaging the market potential of VR as a whole with an underwhelming product. This risk can't be overstated; if Morpheus launches first and it makes everyone seasick, or is uncomfortable to use for more than a short period of time, or simply doesn't impress people with its fidelity and immersion, then it could see VR being written off for another decade in spite of Oculus' best efforts.
If, on the other hand, Sony is correct and "good enough" VR tech is pretty much ready to go, then that's great for VR and for PS4, but potentially very worrying for Oculus, who risk their careful, evolutionary, prototype after prototype approach being upended by an unusually nimble and disruptive challenge from Sony. If this is the case (and I've heard little but good things about Morpheus, which suggests Sony's gamble may indeed pay off) then the Facebook deal could be either a blessing or a curse. A blessing, if it allows Oculus to continue to work on evolving and developing VR tech, shielding them from the impact of losing first-mover advantage to Sony; a curse, if that failure to score a clear win in the first round spooks Facebook's management and investors and causes them to pull the plug.
I fear the biggest issue with Oculus will be it's pricepoint and hardware demands. How many own a powerful stationary PC these days? How many will buy both an Oculus ($300+) and 3D controllers (currently $500+ on PC's...)? How many PC games will be adjusted to those 3D controllers? The ideal Oculus Rift experience next year will be experienced by a subset of a subset of its audience and there's a huge price of entry even at the lowest barrier.It's exciting and interesting to see Sony taking this kind of risk. These gambles don't always pay off, of course...
...but Morpheus is a clear pass, an interesting and exciting product with the potential to truly turn around the company's fortunes.
Sony's pricepoint + bundling solutions + defacto 3D controllers and plug-and-play nature will aid them greatly.
Edit:
And, obvious: