When will the PS VR2 actually release?
Best answer: Probably, 2022. While Sony hasn't announced an official date yet, rumors point to a release this year.
PS VR2: Back to the futureSince the 2016 release of the original PlayStation VR, Sony has been working hard to build a proper ecosystem for PlayStation gamers who want to get a unique perspective of their games.
During a series of PS5 announcements, including a recent one at CES 2022, Sony revealed the official name and specs for the second-generation PSVR - built exclusively for the PS5. Touting some impressive new features and technology, PS VR2 will be among the best accessories for PS5 when it launches. Luckily for PS5 owners looking for a next-generation VR experience, the wait may not be too long. While Jim Ryan wasn't clear on exactly when we should expect the PS VR2, the implication certainly seems to be 2022 at this point.
PS VR2: What will it be like?
Thanks to the CES announcement, we know quite a lot about the new headset. First off, the fact that PS VR2 will be built exclusively for the PS5 means that developers won't need to consider the far less-powerful PS4 hardware when designing PS VR2 games.
Given that Sony has been adamant about the original PSVR only working with PS4 versions of games - even on PS5, it is set on making sure PS VR2 is a next-generation experience from day one. The announcement of features such as eye-tracking and headset feedback will result in an experience unlike any we've seen so far from VR in the console space.
Sony has also said it will include a higher-resolution display on the PS VR2 and a wider field of view (FoV). While the resolution is essential for reducing the screendoor effect - meaning you can see the individual pixels that make up the display - a wider FoV is important for many reasons. First, it increases immersion since it better recreates a human's peripheral vision. Many current-generation VR displays sport between a 90-110 degree FoV, while human eyes can typically see between 120-135 degrees.
Second, along with a higher refresh rate, a wider FoV helps reduce motion sickness. While the past five years of consumer-level VR headsets and software have evolved dramatically and have solved motion sickness for most players, there are still a lot of gamers who have a hard time adjusting to VR. Simply put, VR gamers have to retrain their brain to understand that their body doesn't have to move exactly as their eyes are seeing it move. Any tool that helps players do this will reduce the time needed to get into VR and, as a result, help gamers play more often.
Sony also says that it has developed brand new controllers inspired by the PS5's DualSense controller. The addition of thumbsticks will help give developers much more freedom when creating games for PS5 VR while also increasing immersion and the user experience. Haptic feedback will also be present, with a design that will feel far better to hold and use than the aging PS Move controllers. Given that there's no lightbar on the back of the DualSense, as there was on the PS4's DualShock 4 controllers, Sony will be replacing the core functionality that players needed the DualShock 4 for in PSVR games. Inbuilt sensors will replace the need for an external camera, which will also improve general tracking during sessions.
The one downside so far? At least at launch, the PS VR2 will not be wireless. While it seems a rather odd decision given the Oculus Quest 2's totally wireless nature, Sony says it has an easier-to-use single cable for the PS VR2. Cables can certainly be more reliable than some wireless tech, but this decision may have been made more from a cost standpoint - meaning Sony could very well offer a wireless model or wireless adapter for the PS VR2.
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