Everything We Know About the PS VR2 So Far

The PlayStation 5 is a little into its life now, but some players are still waiting for the PS VR2! This is going to be the next-gen iteration of Sony’s virtual reality headset. Hopefully, it should mark a decent step forward from the now quite aged original headset.

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The PS VR2 is launching quite a bit after the main console. However, its release date is now fast approaching right now, with announcements of more details coming thick and fast. We know quite a bit about the device’s specs, improvements, and the new features that are coming to the next-gen device. This is everything we know about the PS VR2 so far.

Everything we Know About the PS VR2

See-Through View

One of the most impressive new features coming to the PlayStation VR2 is going to be the See-Through View. This is a new feature that should help to get around one of the biggest problems with actually playing with a VR headset to date.

This is going to allow you to make the PlayStation VR’s viewscreens see-through, to actually look at your surroundings. This is going to be helpful for looking down and seeing where the new sense controllers actually are without having to remove the whole headset. You can utilize this feature to quickly check on your surroundings and to cut down on the disorientation that comes with the headset.

In terms of how it’s actually going to be implemented, this isn’t some breakthrough screen that can turn transparent. The PS VR2’s front-facing camera is instead going to be able to show you a live feed of the view in front of you. This is a creative way around the issue. You can’t record with this view turned on, though.

You can access this feature through the control enter to quickly switch to the real-world view.

PS VR2 Broadcasts

A new feature for this VR device is going to be allowing recording of your surroundings to happen while you’re playing. You will now be able to film yourself and yourself and the play area while you’re in the middle of a game. This is going to be a big help for anyone using the headset for streaming.

Customizable Play Area

The PS VR 2 is getting more usable and adaptable to less-than-perfect play areas. The old PS VR had an irritating problem of frequently getting upset by interference from things in your room. The new cameras and sense controllers for the PS VR 2 will map your room to cut down on this.

These sensors will scan your surroundings and change your play area to one that’s safe. This is impressive and it’s going to make actually playing the PS VR 2 much easier. You’ll be warned if you’re approaching the boundary of the safe play area. Since you can change the play area this time, it’s a lot easier to make gameplay comfortable with the PS VR2.

Specs and VR Mode

We’ve recently gotten more news on the specs and PS VR2’s VR Mode. This is the way you use the headset for actual VR content. It’ll be played with a 360-degree view. The content is getting displayed in full 4,000×2040 HDR video format. Each eye will have a 2000×2040 screen for it. These screens will also have a 90Hz/120Hz frame rate. This is a decent improvement over the standard display in-game.

The original PSVR has a resolution of 960×1080 per eye. The new one is a considerable jump up, with a near 4x increase in the screen’s MP. That’s a great improvement.

In terms of other specs, the headset is going to feature improved eye tracking, scaling resolution, and a 4K HDR OLED screen. The headset is also going to support haptic feedback, similar to the DualSense. The headset will be compatible with 3D audio too, for a major improvement to how the headset handles.

Cinematic Mode

Cinematic mode is one of the funnier aspects of the PS VR2. This is a unique view for playing non-VR content. This lets you play non-VR content in an epic arena using the headset.

You’re playing games on a virtual cinema screen here. The display for this mode is getting an improvement this time. You’re getting it displayed as a 1920×1080 resolution. It’ll also play at 24/60Hz, along with a 120Hz Frame Rate for some content. This is another big improvement over the original.

PS VR2 Release Date

The release date for the PS VR 2 is still a much-debated topic and we still don’t have a solid release window for the console. The main rumor for launch is that it should be expected to hit shelves in 2023. However, reveals about the details of the console have expanded in recent months. Some fans might still expect a 2022 launch, but 2023 definitely looks like the safer bet right now.

PS VR2 Price

The PS VR2 is going to have a much better set of technical specs, which brings up the delicate topic of the price. The PS VR isn’t the only VR headset on the market and we can probably expect more competitive pricing this time around.

It’s likely that the PS VR2 will have a price tag lower than the console it’s attached to this time. A lot are expecting a price tag of just under $400. This would put it in the sweet spot of pretty close to the more high-end Oculus Rift models, but above some cheaper Oculus headsets. This is a nice middle ground for the new device.

Controllers

The PSVR can be playable with a standard controller, but last time around, Sony’s Move controllers were more specialist and made specifically for this device. With all the improvements in the DualSense, we can expect an uptick for the PS VR 2’s controllers this time, too. The new controllers for the system have been shown off a little.

The new PS VR2 controllers are going to feature haptic feedback, adaptive triggers, and finger touch detection. They’ll be rounder, which should make them more comfortable to play at other times.

Headset

The headset itself is clearly the biggest thing to think about with the PS VR2! The new one has had some design changes. The headset is now closer to the PS5, matching up a lot closer.

The headset is going to be white, with a shape that is reminiscent of that console. For anyone who was hoping for a switch back to the black from Sony, this might be a bit disappointing!

The headset is going to feature similar adjustable areas to fit different-sized heads, just like the original headset. There are also going to be more gaps and fans to increase ventilation. Fog ups were often a problem with the PS VR, so this is a nice change.

Another major innovation this time is that the headset is only going to be a single wire. This is a massive improvement. The original PS VR had a whole box set-up that required multiple HDMIs and other cables to come out of your PS4. This all went into a separate box for the headset, the headset itself, and the TV. If you used your PS VR regularly, it made the entire area around the PlayStation a bit of a spaghetti junction. This is a decent quality of life improvement here.

The PS VR2 Games

The original PS VR might have had some major flaws, but it also had some fun games. Titles with Astro Bot really showed what it could do. In the long run, a lot of fans were a bit disappointed by the support the headset received from Sony. Can we expect any better support for the VR 2?

It looks like there will be some exclusive games coming in the early days of the console. Hopefully, some of these prove as much of a killer app as Astro Bot was for the PS VR. The VR 2 will also take advantage of the increased number of VR games available cross-platform now, with loads of games having VR components for other headsets already.

Resident Evil’s VR titles were a major draw for the first headset. These will be making a return for the new platform. New Resident Evil games will have VR version supports, as detailed in June’s State of Play. These are the announced games for the PS VR2 so far:

• Among Us VR
• Firmament
• Horizon Call of the Mountain
• Jurassic Park Game
• Low-Fi
• No Man’s Sky
• Resident Evil 4 Remake
• Resident Evil Village
• Runner
• Samurai Slaughter House
• Sim Kayak VR Mirage
• The Walking Dead

The PSVR 2 looks set to be a great improvement on the original. It’s got better specs, innovative new features like feedback, and even some major quality of life improvements like ditching the complex cable set-up. We still have a little while to go before the launch date, though. As time gets closer, we’ll likely find out more about some specific launch games coming to the platform.