Sony Confirms Next-Gen PSVR Headset for PS5

Possibly against a lot of expectations, one of the biggest peripheral success stories ever seen under the Playstation branding was the launch of the PSVR headset back in late 2016. Quite frankly, it did amazingly well, and at a very reasonable price point, it gave many people their first look into how far virtual reality technology had come in recent years.

While support for the old PSVR platform is confirmed to be remaining for the PS5, however, it was long believed that Sony would, sooner or later, release a new and improved design. Well, following a report via TechPowerUp, it’s now official. A brand new PSVR headset is in development!

Sony Confirms New PSVR Headset for PS5

In announcing the news, Sony has issued the following statement (PS – grab a coffee, it’s rather long!):

“More than four years ago, we launched PlayStation VR to offer a transformative new way to play games on PS4, providing a much stronger sense of presence and deeper immersion to players compared with traditional games. In that time, we’ve seen tremendous experiences that have propelled virtual reality gaming forward, including highly acclaimed titles like Astro Bot: Rescue Mission, Tetris Effect, Blood & Truth, Moss, Beat Saber, and Resident Evil 7 biohazard. We’ve also enhanced the experience for some PS VR titles when played on PS4 Pro and PlayStation 5.

Today I’m pleased to share that our next-generation VR system will be coming to PlayStation 5, enabling the ultimate entertainment experience with dramatic leaps in performance and interactivity. 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.

We’re continuing to innovate with our new VR system so that our fans can continue to enjoy the unique experiences that are synonymous with PlayStation. We’re taking what we’ve learned since launching PS VR on PS4 to develop a next-gen VR system that enhances everything from resolution and field of view to tracking and input. It will connect to PS5 with a single cord to simplify setup and improve ease-of-use, while enabling a high-fidelity visual experience.

One of the innovations we’re excited about is our new VR controller, which will incorporate some of the key features found in the DualSense wireless controller, along with a focus on great ergonomics. That’s just one of the examples of future-proof technology we’re developing to match our vision for a whole new generation of VR games and experiences.

There’s still a lot of development underway for our new VR system, so it won’t be launching in 2021. But we wanted to provide this early update to our fans, as the development community has started to work on creating new worlds for you to explore in virtual reality.

We also want to thank all of our PS VR players for your continued support — with upcoming games like After The Fall, Sniper Elite VR, and Humanity, there’s much more to come for PS VR whether you’re playing on PS4 or PS5. 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. We look forward to sharing more details in the future!”

What Do We Think?

Honestly? This is definitely something of a no-brainer based on the success of the original PVSR model. While no specifications have yet been confirmed, it will, of course, be more than a little interesting to see how far Sony looks to push this. A significant factor in its success is the practical requirement of it to replicate the original’s affordability. Now all they have to do is, you know, actually start manufacturing some more PS5’s!

What do you think? Do you own a PSVR headset? Would you consider purchasing an upgraded version for your PS5? – Let us know in the comments!