In the late 1990s, Sony launched a revolutionary line of devices that gave owners a unique television experience. Before virtual reality headsets became as prevalent as they are today, the company behind the PlayStation created the Sony Glasstron Personal Viewer. Similar to how the company’s PS VR headset is worn today, the Glasstron device fits the wearer’s head like a pair of glasses and, once in place, would give the experience of watching a 52-inch TV from about 6 feet away.
Unlike the current PS VR 2, which is powered by a PS5, the Sony Glasstron had to be connected to a power supply box also connected to a “VCR, laserdisc players, DVD player, camcorder, etc.” using VGA, Composite or S-Video output. The display headset was equipped with two small LCD screens on the right and left that acted as bezels that folded up even when not in use. The Sony Glasstron was one of Sony’s first examples of virtual reality and was a key element that led the company to make the PS VR headsets.
Details of the Sony Glasstron
Introduced in 1996, Sony has sold five different versions of the Glasstron, starting with the PLM-50 (shown below). The Sony Glasstron PLM-A35 went on sale in the United States in 1998 with a retail price of around $500 ($1,018, adjusted for 2026 inflation), while the more advanced Glasstron PLM-S700 sold for $2,500 ($5,090, in today’s money. And you thought 2026 was an expensive year for the technology! Compare these prices to the $399 of a modern Sony PS VR 2 headset.
Despite these prices, the Sony Glasstron received high marks in several categories, including affordability. Ergonomics was also mentioned as a strong point in an expert tech review from that era, and Sony claimed that its Glasstron headsets could be worn over glasses, which might explain why the device was so large. As for the components and connection cables, there was an assortment of power and video cables, creating a mess of connectors that can get tangled, twisted, and trip up users.
The headset itself and its two LCD screens perform cyberpunk-style optical illusions. The right and left screens act in such a way that they trick the user’s brain into thinking they are seeing a single image, and later models featured a flip-up shutter allowing viewing through the headset. According to reviewers who tested the device, the screen looks good, but Reddit users say it could get quite hot and strain the wearer’s eyes. Fatigue and motion sickness were also issues and reasons why people abandon their VR headsets.
What impact this had on the current Playstation VR
The Sony Glasstron could be considered the genesis of Sony’s future VR headsets released by the company. The design of the 1990s entertainment device is similar to modern PS VR headsets, except that they offer HD graphics, games designed for virtual reality, and improved technology that was not available during the Sony Glasstron era.
The Sony PlayStation VR2 features a larger headset than the Sony Glasstron, supports 4K HDR, and includes an OLED display with a resolution of 2000 x 2040. The two headsets share a lot of commonality in terms of design, appearance, and experience. However, the PS VR 2 is an updated and improved version that also includes motion-sensing controllers. It also allows users to play PlayStation video games in virtual reality.
The Sony Glasstron only allowed users to connect other devices to it. They could play other systems like a Sega Dreamcast or watch a movie. The PS VR 2 offers VR games such as “Resident Evil 4 VR”, “Beat Saber” and “Surviving Mars: Pioneer”. It took Sony a few years to figure out the VR experience, but it’s clear that the Sony Glasstron was an early attempt and one that led to the creation of the company’s PS VR headsets.
