PS5 VR aka PSVR 2: Price, Release Date, Specs, News, and Rumors

Now that the PS5 is in distribution, Sony has begun releasing tidbits of information on their next-generation VR headset. We don't even have to rely on patents awarded to Sony to know they're hard at work on an update to the current PlayStation VR; the company itself has already revealed a lot about it.

When Will the PSVR 2 Be Released?

The official word from Sony is that we won't see the PS5 VR until 2022 or later.

The company's senior vice president of R&D, Dominic Mallinson, told CNET "it's good to have a little breathing space between those things" in a clear signal that consumers should just sit back and enjoy their PlayStation as-is for now.

In late 2021, hardware analyst and VR designer Brad Lynch tweeted that the PSVR 2 would be entering its mass production phase soon:

Price Rumors

Sony doesn't do anything inexpensively so we're expecting the new PSVR to start at $399. The original PSVR was priced at $499 but has now settled firmly into a $349 price tag so it makes sense a brand-new, upgraded version would set consumers back just a bit more than the current product.

The closest competitor, the Oculus Quest 2, is priced at $299 to $399 and Sony will undoubtedly want to be seen as the premium option. Still, a high price tag doesn't help position VR as something for the average consumer, which is what Sony needs to achieve if it wants to capture the mass market. Since the PS5 (with disc) is priced at $499, the company needs to come in lower than that to help consumers see it as an accessory worth buying.

Pre-Order Information

There's already a PlayStation VR2 page on PlayStation.com, but no pre-order information will be available until Sony makes an official announcement. We'll update this page when the pre-order link is available.

PSVR 2 Features

Sony revealed some details about the PlayStation VR2 in early 2022. It adds a "true next-gen experience with high-fidelity visuals, new sensory features, and enhanced tracking – along with a simplified single-cord setup."

We found multiple patents awarded to Sony for executing a video game being played by a user via a head-mounted display. For example, in September 2020, a U.S. patent was granted involving 'motion capture data indicate of motion of plurality of markets disposed on a surface of a first subject.'

Another U.S. patent we saw was granted in June 2020, clearly shows a headset user playing on a cloud-based gaming network. The description is intriguing: It appears to indicate the re-creation of gameplay sessions in the cloud, which could indicate two users in separate locations can play a VR game together.

Based on these and other rumors we're hearing, we think you'll see the following in a next-gen VR headset from the company.

• Foveated rendering to reduce peripheral vision image quality and reduce rendering requirements
• Improved resolution (2000×2040 per eye), pixel quality, and refresh rates (90/120Hz)
• Avatars
• A single USB-C cable connecting the headset with the PlayStation
• A lighter-weight headset overall
• Cloud gaming options for interactive play in remote locations
• Integrated cameras embedded in the headset track you and your controller without the need for an external camera
• Enhanced realism through eye motion tracking so you can look in a specific direction to create an additional input for the game character
• Headset feedback that amplifies the sensations of in-game actions
• Built-in microphone
• Gesture-based shadow banning (via a patent filed in 2017)

Techradar claims to have found evidence of the future of VR in the new PS5 game Astro's Playroom and a Twitter user named Lumen started a flutter about other potential PS5 references to VR. However, Ask PlayStation UK is firmly encouraging users on Twitter to use current accessories with the PS5 so any 'clues' could just be red herrings.

PSVR 2 Specs and Hardware

These are the official specs from Sony:

PSVR 2 Controllers

Sony revealed the PS5 VR controller in March 2021. The orb-like design looks ergonomic and will, according to Sony, allow developers more freedom to create unique gameplay experiences. The controllers have exciting new features like adaptive triggers, haptic feedback, and finger touch detection for smoother and more realistic gameplay.

The Latest News About the PSVR 2

You can get more gaming news from Lifewire on all kinds of topics; here are more stories and rumors about Sony's plans for the PSVR 2.