PSVR 2: Sony confirms that a next-gen virtual reality headset is in the works

Virtual reality has been on an unusual journey these past few years. While it’s far from being embraced by the mainstream, experimental gameplay experiences have helped expand the medium in some fascinating ways. Out of all the headsets on the market right now, PlayStation VR is easily the most successful. 

Requiring only a PS4, PlayStation Camera and an insane amount of wire management to play, PlayStation VR struck a chord with casual players that simply couldn’t be found on PC. There wasn’t a need for overpowered hardware to experience anything the peripheral had to offer, with dozens of worthwhile exclusives now gracing the platform. 

Now, Sony has confirmed that a new virtual reality headset is in the works for PS5, although details on it remain very light right now. Trusted Reviews has compiled everything you need to know.

Related: Best PSVR Games 

PSVR 2 news – Sony confirms new headset for PS5

Sony has confirmed that a next generation virtual reality experience is in the works for PS5, although it won’t be coming until 2022 at the earliest. Announced on the PlayStation Blog, this new headset will connect to your console with a single cord, ridding the need for a frustrating external power supply and an endless array of frustrating cables.

“Today I’m pleased to share that our next-generation VR system will be coming to PlayStation 5, enabling the ultimate entertainment experience with dramatic leaps in performance and interactivity. Players will feel an even greater sense of presence and become even more immersed in their game worlds once they put on the new headset,” reads the announcement.

A new controller is also in development which will “incorporate some of the key features found in the DualSense wireless controller, along with a focus on great ergonomics.” So we can expect this new headset to be infinitely more immersive than its predecessor, and will likely make direct use of the new console’s power for greater visuals, performance and gameplay ideas.

Enhanced tracking, field of view and resolution are just some of the confirmed features for this new headset. We hope it is fully compatible with existing games on the platform, since Sony has built up an incredibly robust selection of games since the headset first arrived a number of years ago.

Release date – When is the PlayStation VR 2 coming out?

While it has been confirmed, a release date for the new headset remains unknown. 2022 is likely the earliest we can expect it to surface.

Related: PS5 vs Xbox Series X

Spec and rumours – What is the latest PSVR 2 news?

While nothing official has been revealed beyond the initial announcement, that hasn’t stopped an avalanche of rumours from emerging online, whether it’s through registered patents or obscure forum posts hinting towards what’s to come in the future. A recent patent registered by Sony Computer Entertainment hints towards new controllers developed for a virtual reality headset. 

It shows that PlayStation VR 2’s controllers could be capable of tracking precise finger movements much like the Oculus Touch and Valve Index, opening several new avenues in terms of gameplay and general interactivity. It would be a vast improvement over PlayStation Move, which continues to use technology from over a decade ago, and to be honest it’s more than noticeable. 

Another patent, although a little less recent, provides a solid look at the headset itself, which is a stark departure from what came before. Coming from LetsGoDigital, it showcases the headset itself which appears to come fitted with front and rear cameras that will enable inside out tracking in a similar manner to Oculus Quest, and this will all be thanks to alleged Bluetooth connectivity. 

The controller that appears in the patent also features a camera which may serve a similar service, although is vastly different to the one seen in more recent filings. Chances are that none of these are fully representative of final hardware, although the features discussed within them could certainly come to light in the final design. 

Related: Best PSVR Games

PlayStation VR 2 wishlist – Three things we’d love to see

1. Wireless connectivity

Being able to use your headset wirelessly without the need for an external power box and a bunch of cumbersome cables would make the experience so much more enjoyable, and accessible for those who aren’t willing to litter their room with a bunch of unsightly wires for extended periods of time. It became a nuisance with the original model, especially if you didn’t have a huge amount of space to play around with. 

Sony would be wise to take cues from the Oculus Quest and its evident success as a wireless marvel, transforming the virtual reality space so much that being connected to wires now feels like a well-worn relic. The only worry is that such a feature might be accompanied by major costs, or a drop in potential resolution and visual fidelity to make such a change possible. Only time will tell, but it’s something we’d love to see implemented into PSVR 2.

2. Exclusives from major Sony properties

Despite blockbusters like Blood and Truth and Astro Bot: Rescue Mission proving that PlayStation VR is a forced to be reckoned with when it comes to exclusive titles, Sony’s beloved library of exclusive properties remain largely untouched. We’ve not seen the likes of Uncharted, Infamous or Killzone grace the new medium, even though in some ways they’d be absolutely perfect for it.

We’d love to see PlayStation VR become a more commonplace member of the PlayStation family, adopting its existing family of properties while continuing to create and build upon new ones – since we believe there’s plenty of room for both with millions of headsets already in the homes of players. With the presumed power of PS5, perhaps we’ll see more advanced visuals that help make such ideas possible.

3. More realistic controllers

While they served a good purpose, the PlayStation Move controllers felt archaic compared to Oculus Touch and Vive Wands, failing to represent hand movements in a way that felt sufficiently lifelike. You were pretty much swinging around fancy Wii Remotes, with 1:1 movements simply not being possible with the technology contained within them.

Recent patents hint at hand-tracking and other exciting features which might grace PlayStation VR2, and we’ve love to see such things become a reality with the new headset. Not only would it be more fun, it would also put a console-based headset on the same playing field as its PC counterparts.