The upcoming debut of the PS5 will not launch with a new VR experience, but a PSVR 2 may very well be on the way according to a cheeky tease by SIE’s Senior Vice President Hideaki Nishino.
The PSVR peripheral originally launched a few years into the lifecycle of the PS4. Since then, it has captured a small but enthusiastic piece of the overall PlayStation audience. Sony has shown a commitment to keep VR alive on its new PS5 console with a free PlayStation Camera adaptor — and new comments from a Sony executive in a recent interview suggest that a new version of the virtual reality headset is in development.
PSVR 2 Release Date | There could be ‘a VR experience suitable for PS5’
Sony Interactive Entertainment Senior VP Hideaki Nishino recently discussed VR support for the PS5, noting that the PS4 virtual reality games will likely see an improvement thanks to the “boost” technology in the new console. What’s much more interesting, however, is that his comments indicate a new PSVR 2 headset may be in development.
“PSVR is supported by PS4 compatible function,” Nishino told AV Watch in a machine-translated interview (via ResetEra). “However, I do not intend to simply dismiss it as ‘compatible’.”
“However, the answer to Mr. Nishida’s question is, ‘I would like to expect PS5 to have a VR experience suitable for PS5’,” he continued. “I can’t comment any further, but I’d like to expect it (laughs).”
There have already been some hints that a PSVR 2 is in development. Late last year, a Sony patent for what looks a lot like a new VR headset was discovered. A few months later, a separate patent for what appears to be a new VR controlled similar to the Valve Index. A patent doesn’t always translate into the release of a new product, but this is encouraging news, especially as Sony continues to expand its VR offerings with a recent update for VR support in Minecraft.
The pessimistic interpretation is that Hideaki Nishino is praising the “boost” functionality of the PS5 and how it could make PS4 VR games look better on the new console. The more optimistic take, however, is that he’s teasing a new PSVR 2 headset that will make a debut later in the console’s lifecycle. Only time will tell which of these two possibilities is the right one.
