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Sony has announced the long-awaited PlayStation VR2 release date for a launch window of “early 2023,” relaying the news across social media on the evening of Tuesday, Aug. 22.
The firm has yet to give any additional information on what the PSVR2 price will be or what kind of PSVR2 games players may expect at launch, but Sony has been quite vocal on all the myriad technical aspects underpinning the hardware since it was debuted at CES 2022 earlier this year.
In a blog post published in Jan., Sony details the PSVR2 specs as being “the next-generation of VR gaming on the PS5,” citing new features such as eye tracking capabilities, so-called sense technology, which takes cues from the PS5’s DualSense controller, and a 2000 by 2040 per-eye display resolution.
The PSVR2 sense technology will leverage haptic feedback and adaptive triggers to make combat in-game feel all the more realistic. Sony aims to make gaming on the PSVR2 feel deeply immersive with all-new headset feedback technology through the implementation of a single built-in motor.
Much akin to the PS5, as well, the PSVR2 will also sport Tempest 3D AudioTech, making the PS5 headset one of the best PSVR accessories yet announced. This technology will allow, as Sony itself conveys in its blog post, “sounds in the player’s surroundings come alive.”
The hardware’s included eye tracking will also give it a leg up over potential rivals, like the Valve Index, Galaxy Quest 2, and even the rumored Apple AR/VR headset, which has yet to be officially announced. User Responsible-Trade-34 on the PSVR2 reddit posted an interesting comparison of the resolutions on the Occulus Rift, Oculus Quest 2, original PSVR and its upcoming upgrade, showing how Sony’s new hardware is pushing bounds in the VR space.
In July, Sony announced a swathe of PSVR2 games to tag along with Horizon: Call of the Mountain, which was debuted alongside the hardware at CES. Additional PSVR2 games, both rumored and official, include Half-Life: Alyx, Resident Evil: Village, No Man’s Sky, Among Us, Hitman 3, and more.
Although Sony won’t be attending today’s (Aug. 23) broadcast of Gamescom Opening Night Live, there may well still be ample surprises in store not only for PSVR2 enthusiasts but VR lovers in general. You can catch all of the action on the official Gamescom YouTube and Twitch channel at 2 PM EST.
The official PSVR2 release window of early 2023 allows Sony some much-needed breathing room as it gears up for its next major hardware launch. It’s unclear as of yet if the company has any additional levels of protection against increased PSVR2 scalping and reselling, but interested consumers will still have to remain vigilant as Sony pushes out announcements over the course of the next six months.
