The successor to Sony’s PlayStation VR headset is set to be crowned early next year, and with plenty of launch titles to cap it off. The PS5 add-on – simply named the PSVR2 – will be available sometime in early 2023, according to a post made on Aug. 22 by the PlayStation Instagram account (as well as on their official US Twitter account, although that post was later deleted for unknown reasons).
A freshly-updated page on the official PlayStation site revealed that the PSVR 2 will be a massive technological leap over the original headset. The device will be capable of putting out 4K HDR visuals thanks to a pair of 120 Hz OLED displays running at a resolution of 2000 x 2040, roughly four times that of the PSVR 1. The device isn’t just more powerful, though, as Sony has managed to cram plenty of other improvements into it to enhance players’ experiences; a lens adjustment knob, airflow vent, reactive vibration motor, and a pair of eye tracking cameras will allow users to further immerse themselves into their games with minimal discomfort.
The PSVR 2 will also come with a pair of circular VR2 Sense controllers, a far cry from the traditional wand design of the VR 1’s Move controllers. The radical change to the controllers’ odd bracelet-like design is, according to Sony’s website, an attempt to improve their ergonomics and add more dedicated controls for VR-specific games (such as dual analog sticks, dual triggers, and a grab button). Just like their headset, the VR2 Sense controllers also aim to make gameplay feel more natural with features such as touch sensors, haptic feedback (more reactive vibrating motors), and adaptive triggers that will apply resistance against the player’s finger presses in certain situations.
Of course, no major VR headset release would be complete without launch titles, and Sony has quite a few of them lined up — 20 of them, in fact— if a recent investor briefing on the PSVR 2 is to be believed. Among these titles are Horizon: Call of the Mountain, Firmament, Resident Evil 8: Village, and (no pun intended) Among Us VR.
While the VR 2 looks to be a big technological leap for Sony in the virtual reality market, it comes with a hidden cost that other headsets like the Valve Index don’t: owning a PS5. On top of already being hard to find, the PS5 has seen a recent price hike in nearly every major region of the world other than the US. While Sony’s hasn’t announced the new headset’s price as of yet, it’s likely safe to assume that its combined price with the PS5 will be steep, even in the US where console prices will remain the same.
For those interested in getting their hands on the PSVR 2 (or just interested in general), Sony will be releasing future updates on it on PlayStation.com.