Sony has announced a new update for their PlayStation VR headset.
The PlayStation VR 2 is an update of the existing PlayStation VR headset that was released in October 2016 and was designed with the PlayStation 5 in mind.
The new headset, revealed at the CES event in Las Vegas last night, is capable of 4K visuals and smooth frame rates of up to 120Hz.
Players will be able to see in a 110-degree field of view on an OLED display and a 2000X2040 resolution per eye.
The headset is complimented by a new controller called the PlayStation VR2 Sense controller, which looks to build upon the already stellar PlayStation 5 controller's haptic feedback.
Hideaki Nishino, a Senior Vice President at Sony said "with the headset on and controllers in hand, players will feel a heightened range of sensations unlike any other – thanks to the creativity of the game worlds being built by our world-class developers, and the latest technology incorporated into the hardware."
Among the main features of the PlayStation 5 is the haptic feedback on the controllers and the 3D audio on the headset, and PlayStation VR2 looks to take full advantage of the existing technology.
Sony gave the example of feeling a character’s elevated pulse during tense moments, the rush of objects passing close to the character’s head, or the thrust of a vehicle as the character speeds forward.
The main complaint with commercial VR headsets is the requirement for multiple cables and a tricky set-up, but Sony is streamlining the process with their new headset - the PlayStation VR2 only has one cable that connects directly to the PlayStation 5.
Sony is drafting in one of their biggest in-house developers to make a game for PlayStation VR 2, with 'Horizon: Call Of The Mountain' on the way from Dutch developers Guerilla Games.
The game has been designed exclusively for the PlayStation VR 2 and will allow players to "open the doors for players to go deeper into the world of Horizon".
No word as of yet on a release date or retail price for the new headset, but late 2022/early 2023 appears to be a realistic date for the new device.
