Sony officially unveiled the first look at its hotly anticipated PlayStation VR2 headset, along with an updated final design of the PSVR 2's Sense controllers.
Taking on a "circular orb shape" that is claimed to represent the 360-degree view that players will feel, the PlayStation VR2 headset and Sense controllers are inspired by Sony's PS5 and its family of products. According to the announcement, the company has paid more attention to the ergonomics of the PS5's next-gen VR headset, along with adding familiar features from the original PSVR. Oh, and you can also expect those tiny PlayStation symbols on the front and back bands.
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The PSVR 2 will boast an adjustable scope that places the scope area closer or further away from the face, and the placement of the stereo headphone jack will remain the same as the previous generation. However, there are new features added, too. This includes a lens adjustment dial, a new built-in motor for headset feedback, and a slimmer design with a slight weight reduction.
Users can also expect a new vent design for the PlayStation VR2 headset, with Senior Art Director at SIE Yujin Morisawa claiming this is the lead designer's favorite feature.
“When I started to work on the design for the PlayStation VR2 headset, one of the areas I wanted to focus on first was the idea of creating a vent in the headset to let air out, similar to the vents on the PS5 console that allows airflow," said Yujin Morisawa. "Our engineers came up with this idea as a good way to allow ventilation and avoid having the lens fog up while players are immersed in their VR games.
Yujin continues: "I worked on many design concepts to achieve this, and in the final design, you can see there is a little space in between the top and front surface of the scope that contains the integrated ventilation. I am really proud of how this turned out and the positive feedback I have gotten so far. I hope our PlayStation fans will also agree, and I can’t wait for them to try it out.”
While Sony has yet to announce an official release date for the PSVR 2, we already know what to expect under the hood. During CES 2022, Sony shared in-depth details about the PSVR2's specs, with the headset offering 4K HDR, 110-degree field of view, and foveated rendering. The OLED display also boasts 2000×2040 per eye resolution and frame rates from 90Hz to 120Hz. What's more, it's all connected to the PS5 via a single-cord USB-C setup.
We also know one of the games arriving on the next-gen PS5 VR headset, as Sony also announced Horizon Call of the Mountain, an exclusive new game built from the ground up for the PSVR 2. Better yet, it's being co-developed by Guerrilla and Firesprite.
Stay tuned for more updates on Sony's PlayStation VR2. If you're wondering how much of an upgrade is PlayStation’s next-gen VR headset is when compared to the PSVR, we've got you covered. For more on our thoughts on Horizon Forbidden West, check out our review.
