PlayStation VR Move Controller Adoption and Top Games

Original Move Controller Stock and PlayStation VR Launch

Sony had excess inventory of Move motion controllers from the PlayStation 3 era that it wanted to move. When PlayStation VR launched in 2016, Sony wisely bundled the Move controllers with the original PSVR headset bundles to help clear out the old stock and get the motion controls into the hands of VR adopters. The only notable difference between the original Move controllers released for PS3 and the PS4 version bundled with PSVR was the battery type, which was switched from AA batteries to built-in rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, and the connector port on the Move controllers was updated to be compatible with the PS4. This bundling strategy proved highly effective in driving Move controller adoption among the initial wave of PSVR users.

PlayStation VR games requiring Move controllers

Many early PSVR games were designed around the Move controllers and their motion tracking abilities. Titles like Job Simulator, Batman VR, and Sportsbar VR required the Move controllers to access their full gameplay. Without the Moves, players would be limited to looking around virtual environments but unable to physically interact with objects or characters. The Move controllers gave PSVR games the ability to translate real hands and arm movements into the virtual world.

Popular PSVR Launch Games That Didn’t Require Move Controllers

While Move controller compatibility opened many PSVR games up to fuller interactivity, several launch titles provided full and immersive VR experiences without requiring the Moves. Racing and flight sim fans could enjoy Dirt Rally VR and Eve: Valkyrie purely with the DualShock 4 controller. Puzzle games like Statik and rhythm action title Thumper were fully controllable just using the DS4. Experiential titles such as Battlezone and Bound placed the player in awe-inspiring VR worlds without extra motion controls. For those just getting their feet wet with PSVR, these Move-free options offered great introductory experiences.

Some of the most enjoyable social and party games on PSVR like Werewolves Within andKeep Talking and Nobody Explodes took place entirely within virtual meeting spaces where participants interacted through avatars and voice chat. The abstracted social interactions meant players could get the full experience of the game’s creative concepts without any supplemental motion controllers required.

Benefits of Using Move Controllers with PSVR Games

While PSVR was playable and immersive without Move from the start, bundling the controllers helped unlock fuller interactivity and control schemes for many titles. Games such as Astro Bot Rescue Mission were transformed from pleasant interactive spaces into challenges requiring deft coordination thanks to the precise one-to-one motion tracking of the Moves. Titles like rhythm-slashing sensation Beat Saber would be impossible to control effectively without Move’s motion-based sword swings and slashes. First-party Sony Worlds also made excellent use of Move’s abilities in interactive mini-games. Overall, Move opened up richer VR gameplay for titles designed around its motion controls.

Move Controllers Unlock Deeper Gameplay in PSVR Exclusives

As PSVR-exclusive masterpieces released over the platform’s lifecycle, many leveraged the Move controllers to the fullest. Astounding exclusives such as Blood & Truth and Firewall Zero Hour placed players directly into cinematic action adventures and online shooters with Move enabling natural handling of guns, interaction with surroundings, and gesture-based abilities. Move took the immersion of these polished PlayStation hits to new heights by mapping real hand movements to in-game actions at a level not possible without precise motion tracking. ##Resources for Finding PSVR Game Compatibility with Move Controllers As the PSVR library expanded rapidly after launch, it became more difficult for users to ascertain which games were fully playable with or required Move controllers without extensive research. Fortunately, the community rose to create helpful references for discerning Move compatibility. The website VRGameCritic emerged as a top resource, cataloguing every PSVR title and allowing filtering by Move support along with sortings by rating, release date, genre and more. Meanwhile, Wikipedia’s comprehensive PSVR game list clearly denoted Move requirements for each entry, serving as another easy lookuptable.

YouTube Videos Demonstrating Move Compatibility

Video reviews and previews of PSVR games on YouTube often featured setup portions clearly showing whether Move controllers were needed. Let’s Players and VR content creators like Karl Jobst included Move compatibility details in description boxes. This allowed interested players to get a quick idea through visual examples of how extra motion controls enhanced supported games before making a purchase decision.

Conclusion

While not all PSVR games required the Move motion controllers, bundling them with the headset helped maximize the platform’s interactive potential. The Moves opened several systems-selling titles and franchises like Beat Saber to vibrant new control schemes translating real hand movements flawlessly. Their innovative motion tracking also took immersion to another level in polished PlayStation exclusives. While great experiences could still be had without Moves, they unlocked fuller implementations of developers’ VR designs when supported. Investing in a pair allowed PlayStation VR owners to take advantage of the widest possible library and deepest gameplay the innovative platform had to offer.