The Future of PSVR 2: Recent Speculation on Launch of Peripherals

Welcome back everyone to another blog post!

Much has gone on in recent gaming news, all worthy of our time and discussion. However, for many fans of Amateur Hour, nothing would mean more than to receive news about a new Playstation VR (PSVR) headset and pair of move controllers alongside the highly anticipated PS5. With recent news confirming that the 2016 PSVR head mounted display (HMD) will be compatible with the PS5, many of us are left with the question: "How long until we receive the PSVR 2?" Since learning of the Sony Patents as early as October 2019, I have speculated that any official announcement of the next PSVR would likely begin in quarter one of 2021. As we near the end of 2020 with no official announcement yet being made, I am inclined to push my prediction back further to at least quarter three of 2021. This prediction, however, is solely of the HMD. New controllers may release sooner than expected, especially in the wake of the recent announcement at Sony's August State of Play of a VR compatible Hitman III, which currently supports the use of the Dualshock 4 (DS4) and not the move controllers.

Upload VR recently posted an editorial to discuss the likely early launch of new "Move" controllers with the news of Hitman III being compatible with PSVR. Because new PS5 titles will not have backwards compatibility with the DS4, we can safely assume that Hitman III will release on PS4 first or at the least simultaneously alongside the PS5. But why is this important? Well, avid PSVR fans will argue that although the current move controllers are the most horrendously designed peripherals they have ever used, they are required when trying to obtain a sense of immersion that the DS4 just cannot. With a series like Hitman, it is essential that players have the ability to move each hand independently if the title is going to see any success in the VR market. With the knowledge that the 10 year old move controllers will not be supported by this anticipated title, we are then left to ponder about the need for a VR version if immersion is going to be constrained. With no news on how players will interact with the world as Agent 47 on the PS5 console, we are left with more questions than answers.

Early patents suggest Sony has been working on new controllers for VR that will be similar in function to that of the beloved Valve Index controllers. The elimination of the dreaded light tracking and addition of finger tracking along the grip of the controller would truly be a leap forward for the PSVR brand. In May 2020, through a prototype demonstration, we received a glimpse into what could be the next "Move" controller, suggesting that the controllers themselves are further along in development than the HMD. If this is true, we can reasonably assume that development of new VR peripherals has progressed rather quickly and will likely be ready to release simultaneously with the PS5, or close to. It is also fair to suspect that the new haptic feedback technology found in the Dualsense will likely be found in the new "Move" controllers as well. If the developers at IO Interactive (developers of Hitman III) are savvy to the importance of immersion for VR, then they must be aware of the hindrance the DS4 puts on that immersion, and are planning ahead with new "Move" controllers in mind.

As speculated above, it appears that Sony may be further along in development of the new "Move" controllers than the HMD. However, that does not mean the HMD is not on their radar. According to a new job posting from Sony Corporation in Japan, they are on track to develop a new VR HMD. Based on the translated description, the team is looking at a five-year development plan of this new unit which means we will not see the release of a new product shortly after PS5 as previously thought. This does not bode well for PSVR fans as a five-year plan puts the release of PSVR 2 half way through the PS5 life cycle (approximately), if we are to believe this job posting is specific to the second generation. By technology standards, it may be considered old technology by the time of its release and could have a negative impact the sales of the PSVR 2. Though PSVR has had resounding success in the VR market, currently sitting at the top of the charts in sales across all VR platforms, it will fall behind if production does not hasten. Upload VR questions whether this listing speaks to the second or possibly a third generation of PSVR, but without more clarity around Sony's intention, we are left to assume the worst.

With this news, I am optimistic that we will receive updated controllers earlier than a second generation of the PSVR. Not only will an early release help with the marketing for the PSVR 2 in the future, but it could boost sales of the PSVR 1 as new controllers would make an already cheap VR headset more desirable. I am interested in your thoughts on the development of PSVR 2; share them below! Thank you for reading, and I will see you in the next blog!