A few days before the release of PS VR2, Sony unveils the innards of its new virtual reality headset in very instructive videos. The opportunity to discover the sophisticated elements that justify its very high price…
It’s crazy how the players in the game world like to maintain the suspense and fuel the discussions by distilling information in dribs and drabs. Sony is obviously no exception to the rule. The Japanese giant thus cleverly maintains the expectation of players for its virtual reality headset, the PS VR2 – PlayStation VR2 of its full name. As it had done for the PS5, the manufacturer this time unveils two videos in which its engineers present the innards of this machine – which still weighs 560 grams. The opportunity to discover more about the engine dedicated to force feedback, the cameras, the cooling system, the controllers as well as the various sensors and gyroscopes that equip this expensive accessory.
PS VR2: a more precise and more comfortable headset
The PS VR2 has a very similar design to the PS5: white, futuristic and curvaceous. Its weight is lower than that of the previous helmet, the PS VR is therefore more comfortable, in particular thanks to its ventilation system. Compatible with 4K and HDR (High Dynamic Range), it offers a 110-degree field of vision – compared to around 100 degrees for the PS VR – and offers foveal rendering, with a succession of fluid images – which incidentally limits the feeling of motion sickness. Thanks to two 2K OLED screens each, players will enjoy a display resolution of 2000 x 2040 pixels per eye and a refresh rate of 90/120 Hz – for comparison, the PS VR offered a definition of 1920 x 1080 pixels (Full UD) for a refresh rate of 120 frames per second and its field of vision is limited to 100 degrees. For more comfort, the helmet has a lens adjustment wheel, which will allow players to better adapt the distance of the lenses between their eyes, and therefore optimize their vision. The helmet is therefore particularly pleasant to wear. Finally, the PS VR2 will offer better eye tracking. “A simple glance in a given direction can result in an additional command for the character in the game. This allows players to interact in a more intuitive, innovative and realistic way with the environment.“says Sony on his blog.
The new controllers – which come with the headset – feature a large tracking ring, analog sticks, two face buttons, triggers and grip buttons. Both remotes have the haptic feedback of the PlayStation buttons. The controllers have a six-axis motion capture system (three-axis gyroscope and three-axis accelerometer) as well as finger touch detection and infrared controller tracking. Coupled with 3D audio, they should offer some very interesting sensations, such as the acceleration of the character’s pulse during moments of high tension, the rustle when objects pass very close to the character’s head, and even the thrust of a vehicle picking up speed.
PS VR2: new viewing modes
In a new ticket published on July 26, 2022 on its blog, Sony has unveiled new modes which, if not revolutionary, are still up to date. The first novelty is the presence of a transparency mode which, thanks to cameras placed on the outer shell of the helmet, allows the user to see his environment without having to remove the helmet. A rather practical function, let’s face it. The activation of this mode is done through a control panel, available via a dedicated button on the helmet or a map of the Control Center of the PS5, which allows to choose between the “normal” view of the helmet or the transparent view. . This Control Center, like most VR headsets, provides quick access to other PS VR2 settings, such as adjusting the game space.
This function – already present on the Meta Quest 2 – allows you to play in complete safety. Thanks to the PS VR2 Sense controllers, the integrated cameras and the transparent view, the player can configure the playing area, drawing a safe zone in which he can play without danger. This measure is not new but remains essential. First, the headset scans the room for walls and bulky objects to define the boundaries of the safe zone. Then, the user can adjust these limits, by redrawing them on the ground using one of the Sense joysticks. If it goes out of bounds, a warning message appears on the screen. What to avoid to take a piece of furniture in the heat of the action.
The PS VR2 will also mark the return of cinematic mode in addition to VR mode. It allows you to display the PS5 interface as well as all applications – such as Netflix or YouTube – on a virtual cinema screen in 1920×1080 HDR video format, with frame rates of 24/60 Hz, and even up to 120 Hz according to Sony. However, we can regret the lack of support for video files or Blu-rays in stereoscopic 3D, which was nevertheless present on the PS VR.
Additionally, PS VR2 will emphasize streaming by allowing the player to film themselves and stream content while playing. We do not know, however, if it will take accessories to take advantage of it, Sony is content to promise others “many exciting new features“, without revealing more.
PS VR2: around thirty games adapted to virtual reality
The catalog of games compatible with the PS VR2 at the time of its release is growing little by little – as a reminder, the games of the PS VR1 will not be compatible with the new Sony headset. A few titles had already been unveiled during the State of Play in June. The most notable of them is Horizon: Call of the Mountain, which gave us a great insight into the capabilities of the VR2, especially with its breathtaking panoramas. The player will take on the role of a new protagonist, Ryas, to explore the world and fight the machines using his bow. Also eagerly awaited Resident Evil Village will make it possible to face the undead, while Resident Evil 4 Remake will have exclusive virtual reality content on PlayStation 5. The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners Chapter 2, No Man’s Sky And Ghost Burster VR are also expected.
PS VR2: the official list of compatible games
Thirteen titles were first announced with the possibility of being pre-ordered from November 15, 2022 on the PlayStation online store – which gave a total of around twenty games compatible with PS VR2 by mid-2023:
- The Dark Pictures: Switchback VR (survival horror)
- Crossfire: Sierra Squad : (FPS)
- The Light Brigade (FPS)
- Cities VR – Enhanced Edition (city builder)
- Cosmony High (adventure)
- Hello Neighbor VR: Search & Rescue (survival horror)
- Jurassic World Aftermath Collection (infiltration)
- Pistol Whip VR (FPS)
- After the Fall (FPS)
- Zenith: The Last City (MMORPG)
- Tentacular (small UFO)
Other games have since been added:
- Altair Breaker
- Demeo
- Fantavision 202X
- Gran Turismo 7
- Job Simulator
- Mirage RV Kayak
- Kizuna AI – Touch the Beat!
- The Last Clockwinder
- Moss Book I & II Remastered
- NFL Pro Era
- Pavlov VR
- Puzzle Places
- Ground Infinite
- Song in the Smoke
- Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge
- Synth Riders
- The Tale of Onogoro
- Tetris Effect
- thumper
- Vacation Simulator
- What the Bat
- Before Your Eyes
- Dyschronia: Chronos Alternate
- Creed Rise to Glory: Championship Edition
- The Light Brigade
PS VR 2: price and release date
2023 is shaping up to be the year of virtual reality (VR for Virtual Reality in English) and augmented reality (AR for Augmented Reality in English). Several digital giants are working hard on the subject, in particular Apple, which should soon release a revolutionary headset, announced – and hoped – as as innovative as the iPhone in its time. Meta – which developed the Occulus and Quest VR headsets – is also in on the action, with its new high-end Meta Quest Pro headset, which should mark a significant turning point in the development of the metaverse – even if its exorbitant price does not make it accessible only to large companies and developers. It remains to be hoped that the prices for obtaining all these technological jewels do not end up turning against the manufacturers. Because, as beautiful and incredible as it is, a product is worthless if no one can get it…
For its part, the PS VR2 will be available on February 22, 2023. The basic PS VR2 pack, which includes the headset, a pair of Sense controllers and stereo headphones, will be sold at the modest price of 599.99 euros – it is more than a next generation console! A pack including an activation code for the game Horizon Call of the Mountain will also be available for the sum of 649.99 euros. The biggest spenders will be delighted to also be able to get the charging station for the Sense controllers at 49.99 euros. This is not a mandatory purchase since the controllers can be recharged using a USB cable. Pre-orders have been open since November 15 for those in a hurry.