Yesterday, we received a note from Astro Gaming (whom we've recently spoken with about next-gen audio) indicating that their headsets will work for chat on the PlayStation 4… just not right away. This prompted us to dig a little deeper and find out what gaming headset owners can expect on November 15.

The answer we received from Sony is complicated. If you have a Sony-branded headset, PULSE gaming headset, or the elite edition of that product, you will need to wait for a system update coming in the future. It seems that those will not work at all at launch.

Any other headset that relies on bluetooth for chat will not work at all. If you have something that relies on USB for chat (like the Astro mixamps and Astro A50 wireless system), you'll eventually be able to use those. An update will be coming in the future.

Any headset that relies on digital optical for game audio will continue to provide that out of the box. You just won't be able to chat yet.

The situation is similar for the Xbox One. The connector on the controller is completely different, and until Microsoft delivers the adapter it has promised, you won't be able chat using legacy devices. Both the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 will come with a headset in the box, and there's always the option to use the Kinect as a microphone (but if you have dogs or kids, please don't).


Our Take
While it's good that these headsets will eventually work, it's a shame that both platform holders won't be ready to support them at launch. Gaming headsets are significant investments that can cost hundreds of dollars.  

I know that technology moves on and changes are required to improve the overall experience. That doesn't make me any happier that my $300 headset won't work with my new consoles right away.