There are many who believe that VR gaming is the future. It’s hard to disagree with them; when you strap a VR headset on and dive into a virtual world like the ones featured in games like Half-Life: Alyx or Astro Bot: Rescue Mission, you wonder how you can ever go back to just playing games on a screen. PlayStation VR was a great device in this regard; it levelled the playing field somewhat thanks to its lower price compared to PC VR headsets.
Now, the official successor to PlayStation VR has been announced. Appropriately enough, it’s called PSVR 2, and it’s coming soon. It’ll boast a five-star lineup of games when it launches, and more will be released over time, but is this device something you should be interested in? The answer might be more surprising than you think, so without further ado, let’s take a look at the price, release date, and features of the upcoming PlayStation VR 2.
Price – how much does PlayStation VR 2 cost?
This might be the first major sticking point for you if you’re looking to get into the world of PlayStation VR. While the first headset was somewhat moderately priced (considering what it offered), a base PlayStation VR 2 unit costs an eye-watering £529.99, and that’s before you’ve added any games into the mix.
If you purchase the unit with Horizon Call of the Mountain, which is probably its most exciting launch title, then you’re looking at an extra £40, so all in all, you’d be paying £569.99 for an intro-level PSVR 2 experience, and that’s assuming you already own a PlayStation 5, because PSVR 2 can’t be enjoyed as a standalone experience. As you can see, PSVR 2 isn’t going to be a headset you should buy if you’re on a shoestring budget.
Release date – when is PSVR 2 coming out?
You’ll be able to get your hands on PSVR 2 in February, because the device is launching on February 22nd. If you pre-order it from the Sony website now, it will start shipping between the 22nd and 28th, so it could be a few days before you actually unbox your unit and start using it. Sony isn’t anticipating any kind of overwhelming demand for the unit, so it’s likely you’ll be able to get one if you pre-order it now, but availability may be reduced closer to release, so make sure you keep an eye on stock announcements.
Features – what will PSVR 2 offer?
PlayStation VR 2 is shaping up to be one of the most powerful and capable commercial VR units out there, as you’d expect from Sony’s PS5 offerings. It’s designed to look like the PS5 and is part of that console’s family in terms of aesthetics, so it’ll look nice sitting pretty alongside your console. Let’s take a look at some of the features PSVR 2 will offer.
- 2000×2040 OLED displays. One of the most important things about VR is resolution; if you’re looking at a blurry image, it can harm immersion and make you feel more nauseous. PSVR 2 will have two 2000×2040 OLED screens, both of which will display HDR images at up to 120fps. This works out at four times the resolution of PSVR.
- Eye tracking. The PSVR 2 unit is capable of tracking your eye movements, which can lend a greater sense of depth and emotional expression to in-game avatars. This could augment multiplayer games significantly, and it might also have some impressive applications for games; imagine a VR game you could control entirely with your eyes, for instance.
- Foveated rendering. Cleverly, PSVR 2 is able to render the things you’re looking at much more sharply than what you’re not currently focusing on. This not only reduces the workload of the headset significantly, but also makes sure that everything that’s in your direct vision has a much sharper, crisper look to it, enhancing your immersion.
- 110-degree FOV. Your field of vision is one of the most important elements of VR, and PSVR 2 offers 110 degrees of view so that you can feel truly surrounded by the virtual worlds in which you’re immersing yourself.
- Adjustable lenses. Don’t worry if PSVR 2 isn’t initially to your liking. You can adjust the position of the lenses in the device so that they match your eyes, so if you’re struggling with an initially uncomfortable VR experience, you should be able to customise it.
- Immersive controllers. PSVR 2’s controllers boast haptic feedback, finger touch detection, and precision tracking to immerse you even further in the game world.
- 3D audio capabilities. Just like the Pulse 3D headset, the PSVR 2 unit has 3D audio capabilities built into its headset, so you can feel arrows whizzing past your head or hear characters whispering in your ear. There’s also a physical feedback unit built into the headset itself to further aid immersion.
Games – what are some of the games for PSVR 2?
Naturally, the game lineup is almost more important than the hardware itself when it comes to VR. After all, you could have the most powerful VR headset in the world, but with nothing to play it on, it’s virtually useless (no pun intended). Here are some of the highlights for the PSVR 2’s lineup.
- Horizon Call of the Mountain – an immersive adventure set in the world of the Horizon series of open-world games.
- Firewall Ultra – a first-person shooter with PvP and PvE elements.
- Resident Evil Village – the iconic survival horror game retooled for VR.
- No Man’s Sky – explore a massive procedurally-generated galaxy in virtual reality.
- Cities VR – manage a bustling metropolis.
In the final analysis, PlayStation VR 2 is an expensive luxury, so if money is truly no object for you then you should definitely consider picking it up. It only uses a single USB cable, so it’s an excellent way to enter the world of VR in a clutter-free manner. What’s more, it’ll cost you less than premium headset alternatives like the Valve Index or a full setup for the HTC Vive, so if you’ve got a PS5 and a little cash to burn, PSVR 2 will be essential.
