Sony’s new VR headset’s spec sheet is exciting – except for one nauseating factor.
Sony’s next-generation virtual reality headset, the PlayStation VR 2, has had the covers lifted off its official spec sheet during the CES 2022 tech show. And while the majority of its feature list sounds incredibly exciting, one new addition could be turning heads for all the wrong reasons – quite literally, in fact. While Sony has still yet to reveal what the headset itself will look like, it did offer a glimpse at what’s going on inside. PSVR 2 will offer an OLED display featuring 4K HDR visuals with a 110-degree field of view, capable of running at either 90Hz or 120Hz as games and software demand. Inside-out motion tracking of a player will remove the need for an external, separate camera system during setup and when playing, and a single USB-C connection will connect the headset to the console. Built-in eye-tracking and foveated rendering will also combine to make sure whatever you’re looking at is shown in the sharpest possible detail at all times without wasting precious system resources. Sony also gave a name to its Oculus-like motion controllers, calling them Sense controllers. But perhaps the most intriguing addition to PlayStation VR 2 is its ‘new sensory features’. “Headset feedback is a new sensory feature that amplifies the sensations of in-game actions from the player,” reads Sony’s introduction to the new features. “It’s created by a single built-in motor with vibrations that add an intelligent tactile element, bringing players closer to the gameplay experience. For example, gamers can feel 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. Additionally, PS5’s Tempest 3D AudioTech makes sounds in the player’s surroundings come alive, adding to this new level of immersion.
