After announcing it in February 2021, showing off the controllers in March, and confirming the name PlayStation VR2 in January, Sony has now revealed the design of its next-generation PlayStation VR2 headgear.
The new model has a similar white-and-black color scheme to the PlayStation 5 (the company claims the two products were designed with each other in mind), and while it has the same overall design as the original PS VR, it also includes a lens adjustment dial, a new vent design, and a slight weight reduction. The PS VR2 contains tiny textured PlayStation icons hidden on the front and back bands of the headgear, similar to the PlayStation 5 and its DualSense controller.
It’s been more than five years since the first PSVR was released, and it’s time for a refresh. While it is compatible with the PS5, a special adapter is required, and the experience is very last-gen. Other VR efforts by Sony, such as delivering free VR games to PlayStation Plus users, have been problematic without an upgraded headset to go with the PS5.
It’s been more than five years since the first PSVR was released, and it’s time for a refresh. While it is compatible with the PS5, a special adapter is required, and the experience is very last-gen. Other VR efforts by Sony, such as delivering free VR games to PlayStation Plus users, have been problematic without an upgraded headset to go with the PS5.
Yujin Morisawa, Senior Art Director at SIE
As per Sony’s blog post, when PS VR2 is released, it will mark a significant advancement in the way we play virtual reality games. The PS VR2 system comes with a slew of new features, including stunning visual fidelity in 4K HDR and state-of-the-art graphical rendering, improved tracking features like inside-out camera tracking, new PlayStation VR2 Sense Technology features like headset feedback and the new, intuitive PS VR2 Sense controller that creates an incredibly deep sense of immersion. In addition, the PS VR2 system comes with a single cord setup that allows you to easily connect to your games.
Game developers have already received PS VR2 development kits, and we’re looking forward to seeing what they come up with to truly make virtual reality a memorable experience for players.
The design of the PS VR2 headset was also inspired by the look of the PS5 family of products. When Sony’s design team created the PS5 console, they also had the next generation VR headset in mind so you’ll notice some similarities in the look and feel. The PS5 console has flat edges as it is meant to be displayed on a flat surface, while there was more emphasis on adding roundness to the design of PS VR2 headset since it is meant to have constant human contact, similar to the rounded edges of the DualSense controller and Pulse 3D headset.
Sony incorporated new features to the PS VR2 headset, such as a lens adjustment dial, which allows users to alter the lens distance between their eyes to improve their perspective. Even with the newly added features like the new built-in motor for the headset feedback, they developed a leaner design with a modest weight decrease.
“It was quite a challenge to create a slimmer design with new features added to improve upon our first headset, but our design and engineering teams proved this could be possible when we saw the final design!” said Sony in their blog post.
While today’s announcement has answered the most pressing question about the PS VR2, there’s still a lot we don’t know about the future headset, such as its pricing or release date, though Sony is expected to have more information on the subject shortly.
Source: Sony