As the synergy between Sony subsidiaries looks set to increase, the Japanese giant is plotting a new line of consumer electronics under the INZONE brand name. This, according to journalist Tom Henderson, will initially span three new headsets and two gaming monitors – the former of which has already started to leak.
It’s the monitors that piqued our attention first and foremost, as it’s been several years since the company launched the PlayStation 3D Display, which it marketed in conjunction with its company-wide stereoscopic push. The panels, which the firm will allegedly pitch as “perfect for PS5”, will come in 4K and 1080p variations, and will have some unique features.
In addition to the low latency you’d expect from a gaming monitor, they’ll also apparently include “gaming assist features”, such as a frames-per-second ticker, HDR tone mapping, and an “auto genre picture mode”. We’re assuming the latter will automatically toggle between different settings depending on what you’re playing – assuming you enable the feature, of course.
There’ll also be some form of brightness equaliser, which will allegedly help with your visibility in dark areas. And you’ll be able to track your playtime, if you want to. All of these features sound quite disposable to us, but they’re bullet-points that we suppose will help the organisation market them alongside its console.
It’s not just monitors, though. As mentioned, the firm is also bringing out a trio of headsets, under the INZONE umbrella. These have already leaked, and all follow the same design philosophy. The INZONE H3 is said to be a cheap, wired headset, with 360-degree spatial sound. It’s followed by the INZONE H7, which is wireless, while the INZONE H9 is the more premium choice, with noise cancelling.
All of the items are set to be announced next week, with rumours of a premium, pro-grade DualSense also swirling. With Sony now offering a direct point-of-sale storefront through its PlayStation Direct website, it’ll be interesting to see whether it ups its output of peripherals and accessories. In the previous generation, it outsourced to manufacturers like Nacon, but it always felt like a mistake not to bring more of these types of items in-house – especially when you take into account the company’s robust electronics department.