Sony Interactive Entertainment Ahead of Sony’s arrival at the Tokyo Game Show 2022 this weekend, the company’s PlayStation division has been sending a flurry of online news to fans over the past 24 hours. The biggest news arguably came from the hands-on and first-hand impressions of the PlayStation VR2 add-on for the PS5 console. The new VR system, scheduled for release in early 2023, is now being discussed outside of Sony’s careful PR hands, and early testers have offered impressions of both the hardware and some of the apparent launch software.

PSVR2: What we already knew

                    Say as much to the glowing blue lights of the original PSVR.                                                While the original PSVR2 controllers were all black, they now match the white of the PS5 itself.                                             A side view highlights the design of the headband and hanging scope.

Thanks to Sony’s announcements earlier this year, we know that the PSVR2’s OLED screen has a 4000×2040 pixel resolution, which can run VR software at 90Hz or 120Hz modes. This performance is boosted by a new foveated rendering system, which is meant to highlight the full pixel resolution where your eyes are focused and blur the parts where your eyes aren’t – and this, unsurprisingly, is paired with new internals eye tracking sensors; We also know that PSVR 2 will ship with two completely new gamepads, one for each hand, that follow the Meta Quest archetype of VR controllers (complete with buttons, triggers, and joysticks), but with the additional tech upgrades found in recent DualSense games by Sony. —that is, more refined buzzes and tension-filled “impulse” triggers. Advertising
A new “inside-out” tracking system is similar to the kind found in Meta Quest and various Windows Mixed Reality headsets, and this one uses built-in cameras to scan players’ real-world environment and track VR position, no external cameras required or tracking boxes . However, unlike Meta Quest 2’s default wireless, PSVR2 requires a cable connection to transfer power and data to a PlayStation 5 console.

PSVR2 Hardware: What We Learned This Week

Speaking of that cable connection: we’ve now seen it in action. The new single-cable connection, via the PS5’s unique USB Type-C connector, is a revelation compared to the external, ubiquitous “processor unit” cables required for Sony’s first VR system. This 4.5m cable is said to be designed to weigh as little as possible, but a cable that can wrap around your legs may still be off-putting to some. Sony also confirmed that the PSVR would not have built-in audio. Like the last model, PSVR2 owners will need to plug in headphones using a 3.5mm jack. The original PSVR shipped with low-budget headsets, which may be the case again for the PSVR2—and to Sony’s credit, the new headset includes clever, built-in “headphone jacks” that you can push your existing headset into to save them. But that’s terrible compared to the built-in audio found in the Valve Index and all Meta Quest models. This week’s demo videos show that Sony’s larger PS-branded headset restricts users in VR, reduces airflow and leaves people sweaty, so interested users should look for a high-quality, lightweight wired headset before PSVR2 release in 2023. (My 3.5mm recommendation is the affordable, high-performance Koss KSC32-i.) In better news, Sony’s lens mechanism includes a precise interfocal distance (IPD) slider, which you can access with a handy dial while the system is attached to the face. (This is a huge difference from the Quest 2, which omitted such a slider as a cost-saving measure.) New users can access a handy calibration menu at any time to make sure the IPD setting is aligned with the unique their face, and it additionally asks users to glance at a series of animated dots to calibrate the PSVR2’s eye-tracking sensors. So far, the PSVR2’s “floating” fit, with a foam strap and sleek dial to tighten the fit, looks just like the one we loved on the original PSVR. The fit around the eyes is reportedly roomy enough for glasses wearers, though we’re still waiting to hear about the weight and distribution of the new system compared to the original — at least, beyond hints that the current headset is quite light. Advertisement Enlarge / A July 2022 experiment of how the PSVR2’s automatic room tracking technology will work when the system launches in 2023. Sony Interactive Entertainment PSVR2’s new room tracking system, which relies on four built-in cameras, appears to automatically calculate objects in your play space. When users aim the system’s cameras at a new room, the black-and-white traversal overlays objects (furniture, entertainment centers) in a 3D pattern of triangles as the PSVR2 cameras sweep over them, instead of making users aim their hands, sweep and “paint” a play area. If PSVR2 gets it wrong, users can still use the system’s controllers to fine-tune their VR “limits” before they start playing. The headset includes a button on its bottom that can activate the PSVR2’s walk-through camera function at any time, so users can see what’s around them without removing the headset. We previously learned that the PSVR2 includes a number of built-in rumble engines—a first in consumer-grade VR—and now we know how they work in practice. The severity of the buzz can vary between a subtle sensation, like when flies buzz around your face during a sequence in Resident Evil: Village VR, or a more intense full-head blast, like when a monster flies over your head and sends a gust of wind towards you in Horizon VR: Call of the Mountain. So far, reports indicate that this sensation is more immersive than obnoxious. Sony has yet to confirm the maximum brightness of its OLED display, suggesting only that it’s rated “HDR”, but Sony clearly takes display quality and light bleed seriously. OLED panels are generally better at managing an “infinite” contrast ratio, thus placing the deepest blacks and brightest lights side by side, and the PSVR2 apparently includes a superior foam and nose light blocking arrangement.