Video Game Store Charges For PlayStationVR Demos

playstationvr

A video game retailer is charging up to $18 for customers to demo the PlayStationVR headset. As you’d expect, it’s gone down badly.

A video game store in the United Kingdom is offering a 10-minute trial of the headset in stores for £5 or customers can pay £15 for a 30-minute session. That’s roughly equivalent to US$6 and US$18 respectively.

The charge is being made by the store rather than Sony, which is conducting its own trial sessions around the country without any charge. the store says any customers who do take up the trial will receive the money back as a discount if they go on to buy the headset at £350. However, it appears this only applies for on-the-spot purchases right after the demo.

While some have questioned whether making such charges is a breach of the relevant End User Licensing Agreements, Sony has simply said charging for the demos is something done at the retailer’s discretion.

Editor’s note: My son played “Until Dawn” on the PlayStationVR for free at Quebec City Comic Con 2017, and he really, really liked the experience. Now he’s trying to get me to buy one, but at $400 USD, he’ll have to wait.