Now that the PlayStation 5 has been officially confirmed, several new questions have emerged. One of the biggest ones is whether or not PSVR was simply an experiment that Sony will not repeat in their next-gen console. Thankfully, a PS5 VR patent has emerged, suggesting that we’ll be seeing the PSVR 2 arriving at some point in the future life of this upcoming, next-generation home gaming console.
LetsGoDigital reports that Sony had filed a utility patent for a “data processing device” which looks awfully lot like a brand-new PS5 VR headset. The patent (which you can read in all of its legalese glory via LetsGoDigital) details several improvements that will be coming to the next generation of virtual reality technology for Sony’s flagship console.
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The biggest new piece of tech being introduced with a possible PSVR 2 is cameras. And yes, that’s plural — the patent details two front cameras and (for some reason) one rear camera on the actual headset itself. The camera would be used for range-finding and tracking to ensure that you’re accurately represented in the VR space, and I suppose there’s nothing stopping a developer from using it in a game somehow, too.
The headset isn’t the only thing that’s going to be getting a camera, though — a new version of the PlayStation Move controller will also have a camera mounted on it. This too would be used for tracking the position of the device, although innovative developers could potentially use it for something cool as well.
A “transparent” mode which would allow you to see the real world prior to the game’s launch (similar to the functionality of the HTC Vive) is also detailed, but there’s one more feature that’s very interesting indeed: the patent describes the possibility of making the whole thing a wireless experience via Bluetooth. Tethers are one of the few things that really restrict VR immersion; it seems like Sony is gearing up to make their second-generation VR headset a heck of a lot better than its predecessor.
