Sony is eager to propel virtual reality into a new era, as it targets AAA content for its next-gen PSVR headset, which sounds both incredible and seriously expensive. As part of a developer presentation earlier in the week – which we can corroborate did take place – the Japanese giant introduced its new technology to major studios around the globe.
Many of the details coming out of the event have been reported before: the headset features Fresnel OLED screens (not Samsung) with 2000x2040 resolution per eye, although there is now talk of HDR, which should help with contrast and colour clarity. The field-of-view is 110-degrees – an increase of 10-degrees on the existing PSVR headset – and it has haptic feedback built in to help reduce motion sickness.
Research has proven that mapping a slight vibration to, for example, footsteps can “trick” the ear canal into thinking that you’re walking, which in turn can help to reduce that lurching feeling that’s common during virtual reality locomotion. Don’t expect the headset to buzz like crazy – this should be a more subtle feature to help ground you in the experience.
Perhaps most exciting is the continued talk of foveated rendering. This technology uses eye-tracking to detect where you’re looking and divert computational power to that part of the scene. The theory is that anything in your peripheral vision doesn’t need to be rendered at full resolution, thus reducing the strain on the PlayStation 5 hardware and allowing developers to squeeze more out of it.
There’s more, though: it looks like Sony is also using something called Flexible Scaling Resolution, which sounds a little bit like an upscaling solution – again, built with reducing resources while maintaining good image quality. Put all of this together – including the high-resolution, HDR screens – and in theory we should end up with much, much better looking games.
And here’s where it gets really exciting: perhaps recognising that the standalone Oculus Quest is now its primary competition, Sony seems to be targeting AAA content. Apparently, it wants to move away from the proof-of-concept “experiences” that were common on the original PSVR, and focus on full-blown games.
Interestingly, there’s chatter of it tasking its first-party developers with creating “hybrid” software – or, in other words, titles that can be played both traditionally on a television and in virtual reality, like Resident Evil 7: Biohazard. Whether this will pan out remains to be seen – it would take a lot of work to convert something like, say, The Last of Us: Part II to VR – but it’s certainly exciting if it can pull this off.
As we already know, the controllers – which will be bundled with the headset – will feature haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, but will also be able to sense the position of your thumb and index finger, presumably allowing you to grab things more authentically. It’s unclear whether the DualSense will be supported.
Perhaps the only downside is that, due to the enormous differences in technology, it sounds like there will be no backwards compatibility for existing PSVR games – although the company is pushing for remasters of some of the most popular releases. This isn’t massively surprising really, considering the controllers are completely different and the tracking technology no longer requires a camera.
The other concern, of course, is the price. This sounds seriously cutting edge, and while Sony will obviously be saving money by opting for a wired solution, bundling in the controllers is not going to be cheap. Further details are allegedly set to be revealed in early 2022, with a release presumably planned for later that year.
[source youtube.com, via youtube.com]
Comments 69
Sounds like it's bundling a lot of recently popular dev techniques into the hardware. Focused rendering where non essential information isn't as high res (Ori did this for instance, away from the player character), and what may either be upscaling or dynamic resolution, hard to say with a name like Flexible Resolution.
I hope so.
I love the first one and still have many games to play. Really is the first big, new step in gaming for me since the Guitar Hero/Rock Band days in terms of reinvention of gaming
I have a mixed opinion on this, I feel that VR games are best when it's designed from the ground up for the hardware and I also feel that most people will be like "well I can play it already on my TV and I don't need VR"
On the other hand, as good as games like Job Simulator, Statik and Moss aren't going to shift hardware. So AAAs are needed which cost a lot of money so you have to give and take.
What? No backwards compatibility with previous PS VR games? That really sucks considering how fun Minecraft's and Dreams' VR compatibilities were. Everything else sounds cool and promising tho.
@AdamNovice well with this we have the best of both worlds. Games built from the ground up with VR as the sole focus and games not built from the ground up for VR like Red Dead etc will work
Was in the PSVR Without Parole live chat after Bryan upped the vid. Apparently there a decent number of people who don't want to try VR because there aren't enough triple A games. Personally, I don't mind as it feels cool and different enough that it's it's own thing and in a way I like playing something like Immortal Legacy (bit like a slightly better graphic straight forward ps2 fps game) as much as some of the triple As. So with this announcement it seems as if all those that scoff at VR games won't have much to say anymore, they'll just be playing a less immersive version
I'm a bit conflicted on how I feel about this. On the one hand if the software is hybrid, that's great because devs can then make VR capable titles without the fear of alienating non-VR users.
But at the same time, the one title I played that supported both styles of play was RE7. In VR, I friggin loved RE7 when I played it at a friend's house so much so I bought it for myself when I got home and as someone who doesn't got PSVR I found it lost a lot of its magic for me and I didn't finish it.
I suppose we will just have to wait and see. It's certainly possible that devs will just get better at supporting both play styles this time around.
I think the price will rule me out of this one. Sounds brilliant though
Give me Half-Alyx on PSVR2 😎
@Korgon It also sounds like a hefty amount of extra work, though. I guess only the games with big publishers will get hybrid versions on release. Games like Dirt Rally added VR support a lot later and I feel that may happen with smaller studios and of course there may still be those that develop exclusives for VR.
I do hope Sony one day announce a more expensive NGVR (like PSVR mk. 2) set that has no wire, though. It would truly be flexible and ridiculously fun to be able to move around without having to worry about the wire getting caught under you or wrapping round you like a boa.
@Jayofmaya
That is a good point. Plus devs are already spreading themselves a little thin trying to support both previous gen and current gen consoles along with PC and Switch possibly. I certainly don't envy their position if they need to support this as well.
VR is the main reason I’ve stuck with PlayStation through all the censorship BS (plus MS look like they are now following suit). It’s a game changer, where the main downside is that I now play all flat window games wishing they could be in VR.
Foveated rendering with eye tracking is what I was most hoping for, so I’m happy those rumours are being duplicated. This is sounding out of this world.
Don’t care how much it costs. Would rather buy a VR headset than another console for a few exclusives as I have in years past.
@Jayofmaya You get a like for shouting out PSVR without Parole. Their the best guys covering PSVR.
Resident Evil Village Could Use This Let People Stare At Lady Dimitrescu In VR Not To Mention House Beneviento Would Be Nuts.
@Milt It was always highly unlikely. The technology is just far too different.
@Korgon I think games like, GTA 5 and Red Dead, could be very easily upgraded for VR. Others would take a lot more work.
Something like Hitman proved that, with some effort, you can do an incredible VR version.
@AdamNovice Haha thanks! I mentioned it because the vid Pushsquare embedded is the one uploaded yesterday morning onto the channel. Fantastic content, though. I managed to get one of Solaris keys Bryan was giving away as well which was lucky. It's a fun game when it's really populated but unfortunately like most of the online VR games it will be completely dead really soon without good support.
No B/C would suck but when I think of games I'd want ported over I'd say Beat Sabre, Astro Bot, Walking Dead, Star Wars Squadrons, No Man's Sky, Iron Man and Blood and Truth
@get2sammyb Red Dead has a mod for VR I think?
https://youtu.be/2MXcoZZP37I
Shouldn't be too hard if one guy can make a decent enough version!
@Jayofmaya Yeah that's the problem with MP only VR games. Maybe this might lead to bigger player pools for these games.
this sounds brilliant. I love my PSVR, even if it hasn't been used in a while. I'm seriously considering keepting my PS4pro just to use as a PSVR1 set, for that fateful day when I not only get a PS5, but also VR2. It's a little gutting that games will need to be remastered (etc), but I guess that can't be helped.
It still brings a smile to my face remembering when I first played Batman Arkham VR and I looked over the initial balcony, next to the batsignal
It sounds like it might be a case of seeing which AAA games work in the VR space as well and put some effort into them rather than trying to do it with everything. I guess astrobot shows that you can make 3rd person games work in VR but I wonder if that translates to all 3rd person games or if they'd need to be in first person?
Now let's see that half life 3 show life on this new headset, I really am excited about this new tech, I'm disappointed with no psvr BC as there is so many titles I have yet to play that would be perfect to catch up on this new headset but the power and specs so far are really impressive atm
@michaelf yeah it sucks that we have to keep legacy tech lugged around just to play the old titles, and expected to pay again to play them 😏😏
Welcome to Capitalism I guess 😕😕
Half life Alyx MUST be on PSVR 2 for a start. Looking forward to getting this tho
@kingbreww I'm certain 100% it will be one of the launch titles no doubt!
@get2sammyb
Sure they could definitely do it better with the better technology. I hope they do but I guess I'm just not totally sold on the headset vibration solving the motion sickness problem. That's something I'd simply have to try first before I believe it works.
RE7 made it work because it was a pretty slow moving game, but that also made the non-VR version feel a bit boring without the immersion factor VR brought it.
Day one. No matter the cost.
Once again Price will be a big factor on how well PSVR2 will do. I would love if more flat screen games would use VR just for the 3D effect VR can do! There is no reason to leave out 3rd person VR3D games. All games don't have to be full blown first person view VR games.
@huyi aye, it’s a bit of a pain, but some point we have to let go of the tech to move forward … not planned obsolescence, surely?
Although as an enthusiastic retro gamer, I’ve kinda got used to that notion (but will resist as long as possible!!)
Ahem.
Gran turismo 7 and resident evil 8 with vr will be a good titles for psvr2
@Jayofmaya Good grief, this looks incredible.
@AdamNovice
Anyone who will own a headset and have the option to play COD in VR, will play it that way for sure.
Imagine being inside an assassin's creed, a witcher or a batman arkham knight game.
Who wouldn't wanna play that way.
After playing batman VR on Psvr1, I knew this will be the future of gaming.
That feeling of being inside that city on top of that building was just a magical moment for me.
VR Director's Cut Edition of all your favorite PS4 games $119.99 incoming!
That aside this certainly sounds pretty amazing. If they can really make VR sing, this could be kind of special. Amazing that we went from Ryan's "someone else will make VR happen and we'll be there when it does. Will that be this year? No. Will it be next year? No. Will it happen someday? We believe that." to MAKE EVERYTHING VR NOW!
I worry what this thing will cost though. Especially in light of Ryanomics and them watching PS5 sell out at its price point. IF this thing costs too close to the digital console it starts looking too expensive. And I don't see how it can't not cost that much.
How many units did PSVR 1 sell and how many would we expect PSVR 2 to sell?
@Korgon I think it’s more a matter of games that will already work well for it. Maybe with hybrid in mind if they really want to push the VR version, but need a bigger market to fund the game.
Hitman 3 was a natural fit and is one of the best PSVR games. I’m sure we’ll get a PSVR2 version of it. I think Resi 7 would’ve been the same game without VR too.
That wasn’t designed with VR in mind, it just worked.
I also think we’ll be seeing less PS4 versions by the time PSVR2 comes out, so devs won’t stretched as thin.
This and the Steam Deck are my next two purchases, really looking forward to both of them. I hope developers get the backing to come out swinging and be a bit more ambitious on the platform.
It's definitely going to be expensive, not Valve Index expensive (I hope), but I'm preparing myself for it costing at the very least as much as the PS5.
Sounds great but sticking with the wired option will still make me consider the purchase rather than jumping in day one as with the first..
Aloy's Crossbow Training
Good. Only way VR is going to grow at this point is by pushing real money into software targeting the peripheral.
With that said, part of my reason to want to purchase one would have been Moss, Tetris Effect, Astro Bot, etc. so no BC means no buy from me, unfortunately, unless they rework certain previous VR games to work with the new tech. And if the old solution is being replaced, spending hundreds of dollars on it seems wasteful.
I just hope the VR AiM controller can be tracked by the new headset or just use the old camera. It's a really good controller and it's future proof cause it has all the buttons like a normal controller. Fingers crossed.
For me, VR is the greatest thing to happen to gaming in years. I’m all in on PSVR 2 already. I’d preorder it right now if I could.
@SoulChimera
I feel the same all in baby day one for me
@thefourfoldroot same why I stuck with PS. Some great AAA titles, but, VR thats the bait for me. So looking forward to next VR and games they bring.
PSVR 2 will be the reason I buy a PS5. I'm still in love with my original PSVR but will be gutted to not have backwards compatibility. I fail to see why there can't be some kind of solution using either the PS4 camera or the PS5 camera to track the Move controllers. The new headset wouldn't need to light up to be tracked so it's only the Move controllers that would need to be 'picked up' The PS5 camera seems completely useless unless you're a streamer.
@Areus Yes, absolutely, RE Village in PSVR 2 is a given, even if Ethan's movements have to be slow down. And I once heared a rumor of a PS5 version of RE7 if I'm right? If true, revamped support for PSVR2 is a given.
@get2sammyb Yeah. I hope Minecraft will someday get ported to next-gen consoles just to be PS VR 2 compatible. IDK about Dreams tho.
Was hoping SONY would just forget about VR really :-/ Why waste more time and money on it when only a few people will bother with it in the end + all that time and money could go to making even more(yes I am greedy) normal PS Exclusives
@Milt i'm sure they'll update dreams to make it work with the new one. maybe minecraft as well.
Primarily I’m just so excited that VR continues to get support like this. It’s just going to keep getting better and better, and there’s no doubt I’m going to buy it to support it. But I really wanna get rid of that wire.
@Wavey84 The PSVR2 will definitely not be 3k per eye or even 130 FOV. Not even the beefist of PC are able to fully power the Vive Pro 2 at a decent framerate that wouldn't give people motion sickness.
The PS5 performance at best is equivalent to modern mid range. At best we can hope they can match the OG vive or at least the Vive Pro.
On top of that... Sony will try and hit a $400-500 price tag for a full kit. The Vive Pro 2 is a $800 headset on it own.
I hope they can make the old VR games playable (bc) with a little effort and not with a + $£€10 (tax)
@Wavey84 It the age old Price vs Performance when it comes to choosing OLED vs LCD. Most people wouldn't noticed the difference in color, but they are most likely to noticed the different in resolution. It why all major VR headset are dropping OLED for LCD... It probably why easier to source a high resolution/ high refresh rate LCD vs OLED. If Sony is going OLED is cause of the lower resolution, refresh, and FOV on the PSVR2 compared to one found in modern VR headsets, so they are able to put OLED in the device but keep the price low.
The Vive Pro isn't using the same OG Vive wands actually... So yeah.
"the headset is dependent on using 2 tracking cubes which you have to be mounted on your walls, unless i'm mistaken. Not worth the $$$ in my eyes."
As someone who owns a Vive, Vive Pro and Pro 2, and a Index. The way the tracking is handled is definitely worth the money if you want to get into real, enthusiast grade VR with full body tracking and works. Which is something unfortunately Sony won't fully be able to accomplish due to them have to please the mass market by staying within a lower price bracket.
But I don't see them doing wireless. Wireless VR is still in early stages on PC.
Looks great on the specs
As long as it has better tracking.
Hoping for a future stand-alone to compete with the quest though so I don’t have to deal with Overseer Zuckerberg
@Jacko11 first tech that wowed me since the first iPhone.
VR will only get better. Hopefully I’ll be alive to see it reach matrix levels of immersion
I'd love to see this happen, especially if we got some AAA VR exclusives.
Not interested in VR. Next!
@YourNameHere
I genuinely feel sorry for you, and I hope you manage to find something just as wondrous.
@Milt I think they mean that the new VR games can't be played using the original PSVR.
@Ralizah No doubt those games get a re-release if it isn't BC. Astro Bot ruined every other VR game for me, so it's best to play that one last
@Carl-G From what I have read the attach rate of games and peripherals is a lot higher for vr users. That may contribute.
Another thing to consider is companies can hire the extra resource requirement also so it's not necessarily "cutting in to" the development of non vr games. I guess one concern is flat games that also support vr take a hit on the flat version mechanics to support both without making people feel sick or even to make vr more fun/engaging. Some games have added vr support after the fact though so might not be a problem.
@Octane All I know is that if I can't play Tetris in VR, the new headsets will remain inferior for me.
@Jayofmaya For me its money and i can really bad motion sickness. And i love that it is here but money is something i dont have a lot of and i love to buy my favorite games at release.
I'm excited for this but I really just want another AAA PlayStation Studios game before I end up having to spend $400-500 again to have the most immersive experience of. So far, only Returnal has really resonated with me in a way I'd expect a next gen game to. Really anticipating next year.
We need a price.
Bit gutted about lack of backwards compatibility as there are a few exclusives I loved on PSVR and was hoping I could use them on a PSVR2. Without it, and owning a Quest 2, it will probably not be a day one buy for me.
This is great for me, because VR makes me sick. When I see things like job simulator, makes me wish I had the stomach for it! If they make games hybrid, then people like me who get motion sickness from VR will be able to enjoy these whacky things. Neat!
Also, is it just me, or are the ads on this site getting more and more obnoxious or what?? No! I’m not clicking them! Stop bothering me lmfao
@get2sammyb just checked online that the Texas Instruments TUSB1044 10 Gbps USB Type-C bi-directional linear redriver (as per ifixit.com) inside the PS5 has "DisplayPort 1.4 as Alternate Mode" and can use all 4 lanes in the same time to transmit the full bandwidth of DisplayPort 1.4 of 32.4Gbs (3840 x 2160 / 120 Hz / 10 Bit Chroma / HDR)
So most probably the next PSVR will use the 2 front ports (USB-A for additional power and sensor data)
Edit:
Source1 - VESA Spec
https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.usb.org/sites/default/files/D2T1-4%2520-%2520VESA%2520DP%2520Alt%2520Mode%2520over%2520USB%2520Type-C.pdf&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwjo69zY1a_yAhUG_7sIHdsyDtUQFnoECAoQAQ&usg=AOvVaw1hRYUU5pIfjEGQYTqRmVP1
Source2 - Texas Instruments
https://www.ti.com/product/TUSB1044
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