When presenting the upcoming Playstation VR2, Sony continues to use salami tactics: the price and release date of the VR headset are still unknown, but Sony has at least given an insight into the playing field setup via a camera review. If you want to take a quick look at the real world during a game, you don’t have to take off the headset. A button on the VR glasses switches to an external view. Like the Quest 2, it’s black and white, in contrast to the more elaborate color review of Meta’s planned premium Project Cambria headset.
This camera image will also be useful in room setup. After putting on the headset, the user simply draws the edges of the field with a controller cursor on the free area. If he approaches the edges while playing, the “grid cage” is displayed as a warning. All of this is similar to the “Guardian” systems of other VR platforms such as Oculus Quest 2 or SteamVR. Unlike the first Playstation VR, an external tracking camera and tangled cables are no longer necessary. Recently, the four built-in headset cameras capture the environment and the new controllers. In addition, the system also independently records bumps such as sofas or televisionsnear which it warns players.
Feature for streamers
A streaming feature was also announced: If you have connected the official HD camera to the Playstation 5, you can film yourself playing and have the game scenes faded in. There will also be a cinema mode: films with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 can be viewed on the virtual screen (in HDR at 24, 60 or 120 Hz).
According to the Playstation Blog, there will be more news about PSVR2 soon: Among other things, the release date and some games will be revealed. Industry insiders are currently assuming a release in the first quarter of 2023. Sony’s VR glasses could then provide a breath of fresh air in the VR area. Although it has to be connected to the PS5 via USB cable, this allows for more complex VR games than with standalone headsets. Titles like “Horizon: Call of the Mountain” could stand out graphically from the currently dominant, mobile Quest 2.
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