Sony has finally revealed the design of its next-generation PlayStation VR2 headset, after it announced it in February 2021, showed off the controllers last March, and confirmed it would be called PlayStation VR2 in January.
Revealed on the PlayStation Blog, Sony senior vice president of platform experience, Hideaki Nishino explained that the look of PSVR 2 was inspired by the curved, white and black look of the PS5 and its other peripherals, but the headset itself was designed to match the "orb" look of the previously revealed Sense VR controllers - which themselves have been updated to match the PS5 color scheme.
Nishino went into greater depth, stating that immersion is a crucial component of the design, "to the point where you almost forget you are using a headset or controller." VR2 retains a balanced weight and adjustable headband, but adds a lens adjustment dial, a thinner headset, and a reduced weight.
It's been nearly five years since the original PSVR was released, and it's far past time for an upgrade. While it is compatible with the PS5, a special adapter is required, and the experience is very last-gen. Sony has also made some VR moves that were problematic in the absence of an upgraded headset to coincide with the PS5, such as handing away free VR titles to PlayStation Plus members.
A vent will be included in the headset to allow for ventilation and prevent lens fogging. The headset will also incorporate a motor to provide rumbling feedback, as previously revealed. The headphone jack and adjustable scope will be in the same places as on the original PSVR.
The PSVR 2 features haptic feedback, eye tracking, 4K HDR, 90/120Hz frame rates, foveated rendering, and a 110-degree field of view, and it connects to the PS5 through a single USB-C cable.
The PlayStation VR was the first inexpensive VR headset, requiring neither a powerful gaming PC nor $800 in additional equipment. Back in 2016, it cost $400-$500 and converted purchasers' existing PS4 game consoles into a decently functional system, and it has only become cheaper since then.
We now know what the headset and controllers look like, the PSVR 2 name has been verified, and the first exclusive game, "Horizon Call of the Mountain," has been announced.
While today's unveiling has answered the largest question surrounding the PSVR 2, there's still a lot we don't know about the future headset, such as its pricing or release date, but Sony should have more to say about that eventually.
