At Long Last, This Is The PS VR2 Headset
Around this time last year, Sony first confirmed it was working on a next-generation PlayStation VR headset that would work with the PS5. In the time since then, Sony has been drip feeding us new details about the headset, first showing off the controllers for the device and then, earlier this year, announcing a new PS VR2 game set in the "Horizon" series called "Horizon Call of the Mountain."
Alongside that reveal of "Horizon Call of the Mountain," Sony announced new specifications for PS VR2, but all of this news arrived without any images of the headset itself. Sony finally righted that oversight today, revealing the PS VR2 headset in all its glory. Alongside it, we also get to see an updated pair of controllers that look at least a little different from what we saw back in March 2021. For those who have been waiting to see what the next-gen PS VR looks like, this reveal is a long time coming.
A PS VR headset to match the PS5
Right away, the most obvious difference in terms of design is the fact that the PS VR2 is a mostly white headset with black accents while the original one was mostly black with white accents. The color scheme has been reversed, in other words, but there's good reason for that as Sony says on the PlayStation Blog that the look of the headset was inspired by the aesthetics of the PlayStation 5. That assumes, of course, that you've still got a white PlayStation 5 under the TV and haven't opted for the swappable colored side panels Sony now offers for the console.
In any case, Sony says that it put a lot of focus into getting the ergonomics right in the PS VR2, and that it kept the headband mostly unchanged from the original. Just as well, the PS VR2 features an adjustable scope and a headphone jack just as the original PS VR did, so several things are staying the same even with this jump between generations.
Not everything is staying the same with PS VR2
While it's clear there are some similarities between this PS VR headset and the first, there are also some changes on the way. Outside of the obvious bump up in hardware, Sony says that the PS VR2 will come with a lens adjustment dial that will allow users to "optimize their view." Interestingly enough, this new PS VR2 headset is a little bit slimmer and even a little lighter than the original, even though Sony is including a motor for rumble feedback this time around. While the PS VR2 does indeed look smaller than the original even in these product shots, it seems that we should only expect a slight weight reduction.
In addition to showing off the PS VR2 headset for the first time, Sony also revealed the final version of the PS VR2 Sense controllers. Not much is changing from the first iteration of these controllers, as they seem to feature the same orb-like design we saw back in March 2021. The biggest difference is the new white and black color scheme that matches the headset – previously, the controllers were revealed with an all-black design.
This is all Sony shared about the PS VR2 headset today, which unfortunately means we didn't get a release date to go along with this reveal. Sony, however, says that some studios already have dev kits, so hopefully we don't have to wait much longer before the company is ready to talk release dates and pricing.