We expected it for 2022, but Sony’s future virtual reality headset is long overdue. The Japanese manufacturer has finally officially announced that the PS VR2 will be released in early 2023. A few more months to wait!
Players are eagerly awaiting it: the PS VR2 virtual reality headset (PlayStation VR2 by its full name) from Sony is long overdue! Initially planned for this year, the Japanese manufacturer has finally revealed in a tweet the release period for its new product. We will therefore have to wait until “early 2023” to get our hands on it! It should be about its marketing, and we can therefore expect other announcements by then – in particular its price, which is missing from the equation. Only compatible with the PS5 it is also to be hoped that, by then, the console will be available more easily – as soon as new devices are available for sale, stocks are immediately sold out.
2023 is definitely 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 on the ball, with its future high-end Meta Quest Pro headset, which will mark a significant turning point in the development of the metaverse. For its part, Sony cleverly maintains the expectation of its fans for the PS VR2 by regularly releasing information on its design, its technical characteristics, its interface, its functions and on future compatible games.
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 should be slightly lower than that of the previous helmet, the PS VR, and 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 an OLED screen, gamers will enjoy a display resolution of 2,000 x 2,040 pixels per eye and a refresh rate of 90/120 Hz – for comparison, the PS VR offered a resolution 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. 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 – supplied with the headset – will feature 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 rustling 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: games adapted to virtual reality
A few games compatible with PS VR2 were unveiled during 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.