In a surprise announcement on Tuesday, Sony announced the next-generation VR (virtual reality) headset for its best-selling PlayStation 5 home console. The headset will come with an improved field of view and a new controller inspired by the PS5’s DualSense.
The upcoming PlayStation VR offers “dramatic leaps in performance and interactivity” and “an even greater sense of presence,” said Hideaki Nishino of Sony Interactive Entertainment on the PlayStation Blog.
The new version of PS VR that is currently in development requires a single cable to connect to the PS5. This is a major change from the previous generation headset that was introduced for the PS4 in 2016.
The original PlayStation VR for the PS4, while successful, has been criticized for using multiple cables to make the headset work in the first place. Even so, the PlayStation VR becomes the best-selling VR headset in the world, selling over 5 million units as of January 2020.
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Unlike other VR headsets from Oculus or HTC, the PlayStation VR does not require a high-end computer or smartphone to operate the headset. Instead, the PlayStation 4 is used. Since the VR headset has high quality VR games, the PlayStation VR became so successful.
The original PlayStation VR debuted on the PS4 in 2016.
The headset, which was originally launched for $ 399, wasn’t a high-end headset like the competing VR headsets, but it proved more successful due to Sony’s confidence in the platform. The PlayStation VR also supports Sony’s latest PlayStation 5, but it requires an adapter to work.
Nishino is not yet ready to reveal any further details on the next generation VR headset for the PS5. The headset won’t hit the market in 2021, but it did confirm that developers have access to the early hardware.
The introduction of the next-generation VR headset for the flagship PS5 console gives Sony an edge over Microsoft’s Xbox Series X and Nintendo’s Switch console. Of the three major console manufacturers, Sony is the only company that invests heavily in developing VR hardware and software.
Virtual reality is currently emerging. There is only limited content available that will delight the mass consumer. Facebook’s Oculus, Sony, and Vive have made efforts to crack the market, but there’s no killer app that keeps people interested in virtual reality (VR). Apple is also interested in virtual reality. Cupertino company is reportedly working on a high-end VR headset that could be launched in 2022. Experts say Apple’s entry into the VR headset space could shake up the market that has so far attracted corporate and professional users.
