PlayStation has been one of the leaders in the gaming space in terms of VR. The PlayStation VR headset was relatively affordable compared to more expensive high-tech ones like the Valve Index. It was also a fun product due to PlayStation’s lineup of strong exclusive titles like Astro Bot Rescue Mission and Firewall: Zero Hour.
Now, PlayStation VR2, which is designed exclusively for the PS5, is releasing in a few short months. Wondering if it’s the right VR headset for you? Here’s everything you need to know.
PlayStation VR2 price and where to preorder
The PlayStation VR2 headset will be available to preorder starting today (Nov. 15) in the US exclusively through the PlayStation Direct store. You’ll need to sign in with your PlayStation account and register for a chance to preorder; if you’re selected, you’ll get an email with instructions on purchasing the headset. It will release on Feb. 22, 2023, and these preorders will ship throughout the week.
The base model costs $550, and includes the PSVR2 headset, PSVR2 Sense controllers and stereo headphones. Sony says that the console will be sold at “participating retailers” in select markets, though there’s no word yet on when it might hit other stores in the US.
There is also a PSVR2 Horizon Call of the Mountain bundle, which includes everything the base model has, plus an additional download code voucher for the Horizon Call of the Mountain game. This bundle is $600.
PlayStation is offering a separate Sense controller charging station that costs $50. Players can use the charging station by just clicking their Sense controllers into it. The station itself doesn’t need to connect to the PlayStation 5 console and that makes sure it doesn’t take up a precious USB port on the console.
The PSVR 2’s specs are a big jump
The biggest upgrade from the first PSVR headset to PSVR2 is the resolution. PSVR2 sports 2000 x 2040 per eye in OLED HDR compared to its predecessor’s 960 x 1080 per eye RGB OLED. The jump in resolution should offer players a deeper level of immersion.
Another big change is the camera system. The first PSVR headset did not have any cameras for tracking, and players had to mount a separate light-based tracking camera on top of their TVs to do so. PSVR2 comes with four cameras embedded into the headset for controller tracking which should dramatically improve feedback and accuracy.
There are also some new additions such as feedback vibration on the headset itself, as well as adaptive triggers and haptic feedback from the PSVR2 Sense controllers, similar to what you’d experience with the PlayStation 5 DualSense controller. Of course, all of these features will add to the overall immersion when playing games.
The Sense controllers feature finger touch detection, which means that they will be able to sense where your fingers are placed without having to press any buttons. Along with grips for handling and analog sticks for precise movement, they look to be a big improvement over the original PlayStation Move controllers.
PSVR2’s field of view only received a slight upgrade to 110 degrees, up from 100 on the original model. It’s not a big jump, but it’s still an improvement. However, the refresh rate — which dictates how smoothly games can run — is staying at 90hz to 120hz, which is a bit disappointing. While 120Hz is the standard across most mainstream VR headsets, the higher-end Valve Index can reach an even more fluid 144Hz.
The lineup of games is just…alright
What’s the use of a shiny new headset without any games to play? PSVR2 does have titles coming out, but none of them can really be considered the “killer app” that makes you want to get the headset right away. The main issue is that many of the games coming to PSVR2 at launch can be played elsewhere.
The most notable one that fits the bill is Horizon Call of the Mountain. Guerrilla Games’ excellent Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West are fun to play on PS4 and PS5, so fans of the games will surely be attracted to Horizon Call of the Mountain.
Another really interesting one is Supermassive Games’ The Dark Pictures Anthology: Switchback VR. It’s an on-rails horror shooter game that looks quite fun. It brings together some of the most horrifying antagonists across the Dark Pictures franchise for you to shoot down and escape with your life.
Crossfire: Sierra Squad from Smilegate is a high-octane first-person shooter game that features 60 campaign missions and 39 different kinds of weapons to fire. It also has a four-player co-op for you and your friends to experience.
There are some other games coming to PSVR2 in 2023, such as The Light Brigade, Cities: VR, Cosmonious High, and Hello Neighbor: Search and Rescue. But these are also available to play on PC through the HTC Vive and Oculus.
Another huge issue is the lack of backward compatibility with games from the first PS VR headset. According to Sony, this decision was made because the PSVR2 headset is supposed to deliver a truly next-generation experience. While that’s nice and all, being backward compatible with older games could’ve really helped bolster PSVR2’s library and given players an additional reason to pick up the headset.
The takeaway
The specifications for PSVR2 are a huge step up, which might justify its price tag of $550. However, it’s a tough pill to swallow considering that a peripheral headset costs more than the actual $500 PlayStation 5 console itself. There’s also the fact that even two years after its launch, the PS5 itself is still hard to come by.
The lack of enticing exclusive games further complicates the issue. It doesn’t seem like Horizon Call of the Mountain, Switchback VR and Sierra Squad will move the needle too much. Much of PSVR2’s upcoming catalog can be played elsewhere. No backward compatibility with original PS VR games really stings too. Some developers are making PSVR2 versions of their original games, but that can only do so much.
As for alternatives, the Oculus Quest 2 (now known as the Meta Quest 2) is still the most affordable headset — and our best VR headset pick — despite its recent price hike from $300 to $400. The Valve Index is a great option for its Steam VR and Vive compatibility, but it’s on the expensive side at $1,000 and requires you to have a powerful gaming PC. Plus, it has similar controllers to PSVR2’s Sense controllers, which wrap around the knuckles, providing a comfortable feel. Unlike PS VR, the Valve Index and Meta Quest (when connected to a PC) can also play an actual killer app title: the critically acclaimed Half-Life: Alyx. And if you’re a PlayStation gamer that wants to try out virtual reality without dropping more than $500, the original PlayStation VR works on both PS4 and PS5 and can be found for as low as $268 these days.
There are some VR diehards who may buy the PSVR2 headset on release day at full price when it launches next February. But for the average consumer, it’s better to wait for a big price drop.