Sony shows off first look at PlayStation VR2 headset with new design

It’s been a year since Sony announced they were working on a new generation of PlayStation VR, and today we’re getting our first good look at the headset. 

Published on the Sony PlayStation blog overnight, the PlayStation VR2 – yes, the name is official – headset has been shown off alongside the ‘final design’ for their PlayStation VR2 Sense controller.’

The headset and controller have an ‘orb’-like look which Hideaki Nishino, Senior Vice President, Platform Experience says ‘represents the 360-degree view that players feel when they enter the virtual reality world’.

The headset is lighter than the original, while still including new tech, and has ventilation to avoid eye fog – a common problem in VR. The headset is also slimmer than the original so longer VR sessions will definitely be possible.

There’s also now a lens adjustment dial, letting players optimise their view by adjusting the distance between their eyes themselves.

Sony has announced previously that the PlayStation VR2 headset will include 4K HDR support as well as support for eye tracking and foveated rendering which reduces the workload on visuals in peripheral vision – and there will be a lot of that, with the PlayStation VR2 offering a 110 degree field of view.

The PlayStation VR2 borrows a lot from the design aesthetic of the PlayStation 5 with the white and black colour scheme fitting in with the rest of the Sense accessories for the console. Just like other PS5 accessories, the PSVR2 headset will also have tiny PlayStation symbols on the front and back bands just like those embossed on the PS5 console and DualSense controllers.

It’s not just looks though. The PSVR2 will also have the PS5 Sense features we’ve come to know and love built-in to the controllers including adaptive triggers and haptic feedback. 

The controller will include analogue sticks and of course the usual Playstation buttons, as well as the ability to be tracked for more accurate placement in VR. The system will also be able to detect where your fingers are without any pressing in the areas where you place your thumb, index, or middle fingers says Sony.

There’s no dates or pricing for the PlayStation VR 2, though Sony has announced content including a new Horizon title specifically for the headset called ‘Horizon Call of the Mountain’

We loved the PSVR when it launched, and can’t wait to check out this updated version. As soon as Sony has details on launch date and price we’ll let you know.