I absolutely loved the PlayStation VR when it launched. I played almost every game that released for the platform for the first couple of years, and after my launch unit died, I went so far as to re-up and buy another one. But over the years, the glory has faded a little bit, and at this point, my PS VR has been collecting dust for months. I've never hooked it up to my PS5, and it has now been relegated to the "classic gaming corner" up in my second-floor playroom.
That doesn't make me any less excited for the announcement of the PlayStation VR2 though (and yes, that's how they are styling it, with the "VR2" all together like that). Sony yesterday took to the stage to unveil the technical details of the PS VR2, and while we still don't have a release date, my hype level is going through the roof. There is a lot going on in this announcement, and it all adds up to one massive leap forward for Sony's next generation of VR tech.
Right out of the gate, the PS VR2 will have a much, much higher resolution, with 4K HDR, meaning a resolution of 2000X2040 per eye, which is wildly better than the original PS VR's 960x1080. The new field of view is slightly expanded, up from 100-degrees to 110. Framerates remain the same, at 90/120Hz.
Another big improvement is the inside-out tracking, meaning that the cameras will now be embedded in the headset (similar to the Quest). This frees the player from all of the tracking issues that were caused by the half-measure solution offered by the PlayStation camera. No more PS3 tech for the hot new VR solution, thank goodness. Also gone are the damned Move Controllers, with new PS VR2 Sense Controllers coming with the system (though we don't have many details on those yet).
Both the new Sense Controllers and the headset will feature haptic feedback, which might be the first time we've seen that in a headset. It will be interesting to see how the headset feedback is implemented, as the press release states that it is created by "a single built-in motor with vibrations that add an intelligent tactile element, bringing players closer to the gameplay experience. For example, gamers can feel a character’s elevated pulse during tense moments, the rush of objects passing close to the character’s head, or the thrust of a vehicle as the character speeds forward." That's all well and good if it is used sparingly, but I could see it being headache-inducing if it is used too frequently.
PlayStation VR2 also uses eye tracking, which will follow the motion of your eyes. In the past, I've read about how systems could then push more pixels to the direction your eyes are pointing, keeping the highest resolution in front of the player. That all seems like science fiction, but who knows?
In addition to the PlayStation VR2 unit, Sony also announced a new game created especially for the platform. Horizon Call of the Mountain is only represented by the briefest of teasers at this point, but if the system can pull off the graphics we're seeing in this video, we are in for a treat:
No information has yet been revealed about a release date or price, but I'm going to wager that the PlayStation VR2 will be available for Holiday 2022 for $499. Just throwing my guess out into the wind. Keep an eye on Gaming Nexus for more information on the PlayStation VR2 as it becomes available.
