Sony announces new virtual reality headset for PlayStation 5
Sony has announced a next-generation VR headset for its PlayStation 5 console, launching some time after 2021. The original PlayStation VR headset was released for the PlayStation 4 in October 2016. Though less powerful than the PC-powered Oculus Rift and HTC Vive VR headsets that arrived the same year, it was easier to use and proved popular with players, selling 5m by the end of 2020.
Sony supported the technology with a quirky selection of games from its studios, including Moss, an adventure game about a tiny mouse, and AstroBot Rescue Mission, a cute and innovative platformer featuring the tiny white robots that have become PlayStation mascots. Tetris Effect, a critically acclaimed, psychedelic VR version of the classic block-stacking puzzle game, also debuted on PSVR.
The new VR system promises better resolution, more accurate head-tracking and a wider field of view. It will connect to the PS5 with a single cable, making it easier to set up and use. It will also come with a new VR motion controller that will incorporate some of the new features of the PS5’s DualSense pad.
The PlayStation 5 has been consistently sold out since its launch last November. Nonetheless, 4.5m consoles were sold by the end of last year, according to the company’s earnings report.
“Players will feel an even greater sense of presence and become even more immersed in their game worlds once they put on the new headset,” wrote Sony’s Hideaki Nishino in the PlayStation blog announcement.
“With both PlayStation VR and the next-generation VR system we’re building, our commitment to virtual reality as a medium for games is stronger than ever.”