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Sony’s next-gen PSVR was reportedly detailed at a developer summit

Sony’s next-gen PSVR was reportedly detailed at a developer summit

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Further confirmation of the device’s improved FOV, screens, and controllers

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Sony’s original PSVR.
Sony’s original PSVR.

More and more details for Sony’s planned next-generation PlayStation virtual reality headset appear to be popping up. According to YouTube channel PSVR Without Parole with further corroboration from UploadVR, Sony held a developer summit on Tuesday where it detailed new information about the controllers and game development strategy for the sequel to the PSVR, and seemed to confirm some features that have already been reported.

Among the new details, the next-gen PSVR controllers (or NGVR controllers, based on what PSVR Without Parole claims is the codename for the device) can reportedly not only detect when you’re holding the controller and touching buttons but also how far away your fingers are. The feature sounds a bit like the radar detection that Google’s built into its phones and smart home devices in the past with the Soli chip.

Sony also reportedly told developers it’s looking to pursue a hybrid model for future AAA releases on PlayStation. The goal being having optional VR support for all major releases, similar to what Resident Evil 7 and No Man’s Sky received on the PS4 and PS5. As far as we know, a console is still required to use the PSVR, but if this plan is true, you could choose to play major AAA titles in VR or on your TV going forward.

Sony publicly announced the next-gen PSVR in February and detailed the features of its new controllers not long after. Taking into account the official information and what UploadVR has reported as the possible specs for the device, here’s what we know about the next-gen PSVR so far:

  • The next-gen PSVR connects to PlayStation consoles through a single cable, no passthrough box necessary
  • The headset features higher-resolution OLED displays that offer 2000 x 2040 pixels per eye (for a total 4K resolution) with an improved 110-degree field of view (10 degrees wider than the PSVR).
  • Sony reportedly plans to use flexible scaling resolution in conjunction with foveated rendering enabled by eye tracking, to allow the device to only render what you’re actually looking at. The overall goal being to reduce the strain on the PSVR and PS5 and improve performance.
  • Sony will reportedly use inside-out tracking for the next-gen PSVR, and the company says the device’s controllers will have adaptive triggers, haptic feedback, touch-sensitive buttons, and reportedly the ability to sense the distance between your fingers and the device.

If all of these features bear out, it seems like Sony’s adopted a fair amount of the new VR standards popularized by the Oculus Quest and Quest 2, and some of the more high-end features of the Valve Index and HTC Vive Pro, too. According to reporting from Bloomberg, Sony won’t actually launch the new PSVR until holiday 2022, but the company could finalize and announce more details later this year.