PSVR 2 Didn't Learn An Important Lesson From The PS5

The PlayStation VR2 is scheduled for release next month and based on the information Sony has provided it is already clear the company did not learn the right lessons from the PlayStation 5. The new VR hardware will retail at $550.00 USD, and it requires a PS5 console to function. This makes PSVR2 an expensive purchase that asks consumers to take too much on faith. Even though PS5 console scarcity has improved, they are still not readily available through mainstream retailers. For those who do own the elusive PS5, paying more than the console itself for a VR add-on is a dubious value at best.

When the original PSVR sold more than 3 million units it was a milestone, and Sony’s VR hardware outsold its competitors at the time. The PSVR has hundreds of games available, and when the PS5 launched it offered adaptors so that the gaming library could be played on Sony’s current generation console. The PlayStation 4 sold more than 100 million, however, and has upward of 3,000 games. Sony took steps to leverage the success of the PS4 to add value to the PS5, but it seems that the same model is not going to apply to the second generation PlayStation VR, which severely diminishes its value.

[S2Killinit]

Hmmmmmmm

PSVR2 549 + PS5
Equivalent VR 1500 + PC

Stupid argument.

[Eonjay]

Yes I hate arguments that presuppose it's audience can't do math. Everyone knows that a full PSVR 2 setup is at least $1000 to $1500 cheaper that an equivalently speced PC setup.

[fr0sty]

And the PC kit still won't have eye tracking and foveated rendering.

[VenomUK]

This is an exceptionally poorly written Screenrant complain article that seems confused about what it wants to say and saves the main argument until near the end so its message is not consistent. First it complains about the PSVR2 price and then about backwards compatibility.

PSVR2 does face some challenges but I don’t think BC is it. It presupposes that the biggest lost potential market is PSVR1 owners who are unhappy their games are not backwards compatible with PSVR2. In reality the people who are that invested in VR will likely be the day one and early adopters. Yes it would be nice to carry over your games but, broadly speaking, they are now limited in their scope and especially their now basic performance. The writer also seems ignorant of why BC is not possibe.

PSVR2 has a massive spec boost but to grow its VR market beyond the VR novelty games it has to make a strong case for how full flat games are enhanced by being playable in VR.

[Babadook7]

If there’s any reason ps5 isn’t the best selling console of all time, it’s because they couldn’t make them fast enough. Not a lot of other negatives to learn from then. Psvr 2 looks good and I can’t wait for Feb 22.

[jwillj2k4]

Youre missing the point entirely.

This is not a price comparison article it’s a lack of foresight for a relatively expensive optional novelty item article. If they wanted to maximize its chances for success they should have made it backwards compatible.

The average PlayStation player is not comparing psvr to pc vr because pc’s were never on their radar in the first place.

[REDGUM]

But when the psvr 1st came out it wasn't backwards compatible either was it howeversold quite well.
No we have a way more boosted spec'd psvr 2 coming that also isn't backwards compatible and only $50 more than the original one?
Sorry, but I think that although slow to adopt because of the world's economic status at the moment, it'll sell well too. Slowly I would have thought but I reckon we'll be looking at 4-5 mill sales in a much shorter timeframe that it's predecessor.

On a side note, I think well see this newer unit being able to be played on a pc at some point & I think there will be a fair few more developers adjusting their original games for the 1st headset to be able to play on this new one too.

[Babadook7]

I wish it was backwards compatible. I don’t know if the new features are worth losing that but that may just be the choice Sony had to make. They changed the tracking system 100%. Once I’ve played the launch window titles like RE 8 and call of the mountain I’ll know better. It seems I’m in for a treat though.

[S2Killinit]

So then we are talking about PSVR2 in a vacuum?

We are saying things could be better? I guess. But then why stop there? If Sony would only give these out for free there would be less to complain about.

Back in reality though, so far it looks like they are bringing a lot of the must have PSVR games with them. So I dont see much of an issue there either. Lets see what other excuses for complaining we can find though.

[derek]

@jwill, you can't do both. The tech is,completely different too much effort in making all games compatible would balloon costs. Individual studios are already porting their psv1 games over themselves and that will continue. But the focus should first be on advancing the tech in the console space at a reasonable price.

[shinoff2183]

I'm sure not every one but I've seen some devs are updating their vr games so it'll work on psvr2. Maybe bc psvr2 isn't as easy as some make it seem

[jwillj2k4]

Don’t reply with nonsense to me. ps5 is bc with ps4 so it should be the same and you’ve already paid for the games you own there is nothing they’re giving away for free. Don’t be a clown 🤡

[MrNinosan]

The DualSense and DualShock 4 doesn't differ that much thou.
You can play any PS4-game brcause you still have the control scheme.

PSVR and PSVR2 doesn't have anything in similarity except it being VR.
Of course PSVR2 can't magically transform every old game to the a new tracking and controlsystem.

[S2Killinit]

Lol thats your response and Im the clown?

[SullysCigar]

Why be so aggressive with your opinion when you haven't done the necessary research to understand the topic at hand? ...Or are you just trolling?

[jwillj2k4]

@sullyscigar

Because his response to me was extremely sarcastic. Garbage in garbage out.

[SullysCigar]

Tbf fair if someone slaps me, they get a punch back, so fair play, I get it. What he said was right, but the way he said it was wrong. Probably just borne from frustration at having to cover off the same thing with another person - not personal, I'm sure lol

[AKS]

Also people buy phones for $1200 and replace them after 2 to 3 years. LOL. Frankly, the PSVR2 is a steal for the specs at this price. I predicted it would cost $500 but without the fancy new controls, which overall is even less than I expected. They have to be losing money at that price considering it has better specs than headsets that cost 2x to 3x more.

[kryteris]

Equivalent PC is about $800USD, Quest 2 is 400USD. Hopefully that eye tracking is worth it.

[SullysCigar]

What's the equivalent PC headset with eye tracking? Headset haptics? I don't think there are any that have both.

[jwillj2k4]

Yes you’re being a clown. The more powerful the tech the more likely IT SHOULD be able to handle backwards compatibility. This isn’t a ps3 to ps4 situation. The fact that their leaving it up to the developers to decide is a bad decision why is this so hard to understand lmao…

[Anomander]

@redgum name a VR headset that when it first came out it was backwards compatible that was Gen 1? I can understand the inside out tracking part of why the games would not be compatible, but the fact they are stating the controllers and the audio are making it so is complete BS. They should be able to add options to disable those features especially for the controllers..

Makes me glad I sat out PSVR and just stuck with VR on PC. I’m way more curious on PSVR2 since the tech sounds amazing, but will wait on it as well and see what it’s looking like after a year being of released.

[EazyC]

It's very big money. But I think if Sony pushes development with games into VR enough this could be a big breakthrough.

I bought it just for GT7. The idea of having the entire game in VR blows my mind.

[PapaBop]

It's an investment though. It's one of a good few features that seriously differentiates the PS brand from competitors. Considering the specs, I think the price is reasonable.

[EazyC]

Yes, and you have to imagine the inverse event -- if they went for "adoption and low cost" with a $200 headset, you'd have a lot of complaints about resolution, FPS, visual fidelity etc.

I think Sony has instead gone for people who are serious about videogames, and with high disposable income. That is a very select demographic but one that will probably ensure that Sony can stay at the cutting edge of the market.

I think I'm a good example of why they may have done right here: it's only because of the hefty specs (and yes, high price) that getting a game like Gran Turismo 7 in its entirety was even possible. Had they gone down the cheap route, they would have probably offered some dumbed-down version of GT7, and I wouldn't have bothered buying one.

[jznrpg]

It’s about the same price as PSVR1 with controllers and you don’t need a camera but it’s the most feature rich headset at 1/3 of the price of most high end headsets .

The majority of the best PSVR games are getting upgrades and most are free .

PS5 stock has increased significantly . I have seen them in stores a couple times now before I never saw one . They don’t last long but it’s not super difficult to get one like before .

The one thing Sony needs to do is support it with high end games like they are starting out with , GT7 VR full game, Call of the Mountain , RE8 . They need to keep those types of games coming and that’s going to be the difference . But they are starting out with a nice launch library just keep the games coming and adoption will rise

[Exvalos]

Gt7 full vr is huge, especially if you can also incorporate the racing wheel. Good lord that's next level immersion

[EazyC]

This may get trickier as development shifts from cross-gen to new-gen only.

I don't think the shift has even happened yet. GT7 and GoW were cross-platform and look amazing. I can only imagine what games wil look like when they're made for PS5 from the ground up.

[Exvalos]

Dumb article

[Leeroyw]

I bought psvr 1 and whilst it gathers dust now people would come over specifically to try it and they were always amazed. Now I'm holding off. Personally I want to play regular games in vr with a controller to enjoy them that way. That's how I played re7 and it was incredible. I'm not keen on jumping around my lounge room. I hope psvr2 can handle aaa titles that aren't just curated for vr from the ground up. I'm cautiously optimistic and I do want it but I won't be an early adopter.

[abstractel]

There's a PC modder called Luke Ross that has shown that most games can be made into couch VR games. His mods are amazing. Some require pretty strong VR legs but that comes the more VR games you play. I don't think Sony will go this route or that developers will put in VR modes in their games, but all I am saying is that Luke has shown that it's possible, and considering he's one guy, the expense isn't even that high.

[Leeroyw]

Thanks for that. Now I need a Pc. 😩

[mike32UK]

Mine is also gathering dust, largely because of how long it takes to set up. There are far too many wires.

I will say playing resi 7 fully in VR was one of my PS4 highlights for sure!

[AKS]

I really wanted to play RE7 and Skyrim that way, but my stomach had other ideas. I have had zero problems with extreme temperatures, driving through mountains, cruse ships, helicopter rides, roller coasters, military training, ect., but I finally got a taste of the nausea I'd always heard about with VR. I think it's the fact that I see a visual representation in motion but my movement is static. I'm going to try to get my stomach back in shape for PSVR2 next month. Stocking up on ginger.

[mike32UK]

@aks

Usually my stomach is pathetic with most things (I had spinny rides, boats, flying in bumpy planes etc.) Whilst I definitely got motion sickness playing resi to start with, I modified the way I moved my character in game which helped a lot

[JackBNimble]

AKS
I had the same problem. I specifically bought re7 for VR and couldn't even make it to the house in the beginning of the game because of motion sickness. And I still haven't played the game.

[SullysCigar]

^ Resi got me at first in VR too, so I gave up for the night. Kept trying, no problem now.

Got to say though, the tech has come a long way since 2015-16 and the software engineers have learned a lot with all different games and headsets. Sony claim to have worked on addressing nausea with the hardware alone.

The ventilation, haptics, resolution, refresh rate and - in particular the input lag (there is a better term, but I forget) are all steps in the right direction, with the lattermost being improved two-fold over PSVR1. This means it's almost instantaneous when you turn your head, that the screen adjusts your view. That is largely considered the number one cause of the issue; your inner-ear detects the motion before your eyes have registered it.

TL;DR PSVR2 should be vastly improved in this regard over any other headset (at any price) to date.

[AKS]

For whatever reason Arizona Sunshine was the VR game that really kicked me in the guts. I was queasy and sweating within the first few minutes. That game really did not agree with me.

[EazyC]

To be honest, I feel like I'm getting cheesed off with a mobile spin-off experience when I get these "just for VR" spin offs from well-known franchises.

That's what makes GT7 and RE8 so cool. Hope to see more of this.

[CBaoth]

I ended up pre-ordering one Friday but I know exactly what you mean. 1 never got the full support of Sony's top tier studios. Hope this isn't the case again. But Indies seem to have stepped up their game on VR2. Would love to play the Forest sequel in VR

[Eonjay]

This is what happens when you try too hard to create a rant without a valid argument so you have to ignore the facts which would disprove your point.

[GamingSinceForever]

I stopped reading when he said that the PS5 after two years is still not worth buying. Didn’t care to know what was coming afterwards.

[generic-user-name]

"PSVR2 is bad because it has no BC"
"PSVR1 didn't sell because it didn't have a good library"

Which way, Western man?

[GamingSinceForever]

😂 😂

[dumahim]

How does a headset learn a lesson?

[Rimeskeem]

I am planning to get one once I am more settled in and there are more games I really want to play.

[Good-Smurf]

I don't know what this dude were on about.
You need at least $2000 worth of PC hardware setup then another $700+ for headset vs $1100 overall on PS5 and have you seen the most VR games on PC they're mostly of low budget sim and basic shooters the only killer app it have right now is Half-life Alyx and its very likely to release later on PS VR2 as well.
The fragmented nature and high cost of variable PC hardware actually work against the mass adoption of VR there, let all the one and done few guys indie devs to do all the heavy lifting didn't helped either.

[Phoenix76]

Funny...... "screen rants" sister site "gamerant" is saying near enough the opposite thing 🤔
https://gamerant.com/psvr2-...

[SullysCigar]

They're both crap-rags. It's probably a test to see which will get more clicks before they set their narrative going forwards lol

[Father__Merrin]

They could have made a £99 vr headset but it won't have the specs this has. Imo they also should release a cheaper headset for £150 with lower specs but still play same games.

Ps still rocking oculus cv1

The difference between pc and console is console should be for everyone in it's experiences

[Extermin8or3_]

"The hardware coukd have been designed to allow backwards compatibility" yeah it could bit that would mean holding back the hardwares potential and not using inside out tracking which would have been ridiculous.

[gold_drake]

now thats a dumb article.

i would have to invest more money in a PC that coud run vr and the VR device itself, than the ps5 and vr2 combined.

[Phoenix76]

Basically at the end of the article, the biggest issue they claim to have is that the psvr2 'Headset' is not backward compatible with the ps4 'Console'. Smh

[ApocalypseShadow]

Remember boys and girls. We're going to get more junk like this article trying their best to downplay PS VR 2 before release. Just ignore the garbage.

PS5 power, the headset, the controllers and the 3D sound, negate all the naysayers ranting and raging for clicks.

[Phoenix76]

Agree with you there Shad. Also get more junk comments from a certain commentator (3 guess who) on this site sadly. Lol

[CBaoth]

The only thing Sony needs is to hire MS' marketing PR team. Those raging clicks you hear is some kid playing Fortnite on his Xbox controller :}

God those 360 gamepads in 2023 suck

[KeyAppearance]

No matter how the people in the comments try to shrug it off
the thing isn't even backwards compatible lol, which I would expect for the expensive price

[Aussiesummer]

Oh please, thus is a bargain for the unprecidented tech it has, after some time it'll be at an even better price. Can't wait till the 22nd, only just under a month to go! What games are you getting? I'm getting horizon cotm , switchback and (don't laugh) hello neighbour 2, lol, I already have village and no mans sky so I'm set for a while.

[ROCKY28]

When will there be a new VR WipEout announcement ?

[SullysCigar]

Not sure if you've heard, but there is a rumour of a new Wipeout game for PSVR2. The YouTube channel PSVR2 Without Parole have spoken about it this past few weeks. They also said they haven't that the PSVR version will be ported, they would fully expect that to happen if the new game turns out to be coming, as hoped.

My God I hope it's true! Until then, GT7 it is.

[septemberindecember]

My biggest complaints with PSVR 1 were it's low resolution (games like Blood and Truth were more difficult when aiming because of the low resolution) and the fact that there was very little actual movement, just like a one foot box basically. Both of those limitations are solved with PSVR2. So I'm probably going to get it at some point

[CobraKai]

He says not including backwards compatibility is a slap in the face. I understand how awesome it would be to play PSVR games on the VR2, but I don’t consider that a slap in the face. When I buy a VR2, it’s will be because of the VR2 games that utilize its many new features.

[derek]

Who's buying a ps5 only to buy a psvr2? Lol. The tech isn't cheap, and the system is on the lower end of the premium models available. It's not ment for mass market adoption right out of the gate.

[ooquis]

I'm glad to see the gaming community here on N4G are very educated on most gaming topics and calls out all the bullshit on the Internet.

[shinoff2183]

Did orchard write this

[Smellsforfree]

First on price, I'd argue the price is fair given the technology and the current cost of competing VR sets. On backwards compatibility, Sony has said that some titles are being updated to support PSVR2 but I understand why they are not supporting all PSVR1 games with PSVR2 out-the-gate. The controller scheme itself is pretty different from the move controllers to the new PSVR2 controllers. Further, in-game representations of the Move controls along with button prompts that don't match up with the PSVR2 controller inputs would make for a terrible experience.

[b777conehead]

Then don’t buy it then

[kryteris]

Looks like Quests fixed foveated rendering only provides 25% performance gain vs PSVR2's 3.6x with dynamic rendering. This could be huge if easy to implement and not inducing user sickness or poor tracking.

[Pyrofire95]

If PSVR2 would just allow PC support this would be a no brainer purchase Day-1 for me.

[Pyrofire95]

I was a little burned by getting PSVR as my first HMD and I haven't gotten another one. There's a bunch of stuff I'd like to play with but they aren't on PS they are only on PC. There's not a single PC headset I'm truely happy with though. PSVR2 has everything I'm looking for except the most critical part, working on PC. The only hope, unless SONY changes their tune, is community built compatibility. UNFORTUNATELY, word is that PSVR2 uses some kind of encryption to avoid this exact thing.