The hype about virtual realities continues, in the last few weeks some new VR headsets have been presented. From HTC’s promising “XR Elite”, which combines virtual and augmented reality, through Meta’s excellently designed “Quest 2” to Sony’s second generation, the “PSVR2”. Sony has a bit of an advantage here, because the Japanese Playstation consoles are relatively widespread, and they are also comparatively cheap at around 600 euros. This is what VR fans need to know about the PSVR2.
On the technical side in particular, Sony’s second generation of VR glasses is undergoing a necessary update. The OLED displays built into the headset have a resolution of 2,000 x 2,040 pixels per eye and a refresh rate of up to 120 Hertz. Internal cameras monitor the players’ eyes, so even blinking can become a control element. There are also four external cameras that track the headset and controllers.
In a teardown video, Takamasa Araki from Sony’s Mechanical Design Team disassembles the glasses into their individual parts and explains the assembly of the components. In it he explains how the tracking of the eyes works, that a small fan is installed in the middle of the glasses and shows that no glue is used in the construction of the glasses. In another video, Takeshi Igarashi disassembles and explains the two Sense controllers that come with the glasses.
The headset, which still weighs only around 560 grams, can be connected to the console via USB-C cable, although gamers must have the right hardware. Because: The PSVR2 is only compatible with the Playstation 5, owners of the Playstation 4 still have to be content with Sony’s first generation of glasses. The fact that the PSVR2 can only be used wired causes criticism from some users because of the restricted freedom of movement. On the other hand: Wireless glasses would probably have made them more expensive than the 599 euros for which Sony is offering the PSVR2 at launch.
Because the best hardware is only of limited value without creative, gripping and innovative games, Sony has announced a number of titles that gamers can look forward to when the glasses are released on February 22nd. The Japanese are launching 13 games, with gamers getting Horizon: Call of the Mountain, a VR title developed exclusively for PSVR2.
Sony is also giving some other titles that are already very popular with players their own VR mode or a revised PSVR2 mode. The seventh edition of the Playstation evergreen “Gran Turismo” has been expanded to include a VR mode, as has “Resident Evil Village”. According to Sony, there will also be established games such as “No Man’s Sky”, “Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge” or a VR version of the popular city building simulator “Cities: Skylines”.
Also in the PSVR2 launch lineup: “Jurassic World Aftermath”, “Moss
A PSVR2 version of the VR classic “Beat Saber” is also planned. So far, however, Sony has kept a low profile on its exact release date. In addition, Sony has already announced that the games “Firewall Ultra” and “The Walking Dead: Saints
