It seems that more details are appearing about the next-generation PlayStation virtual reality headphones planned by Sony. According to the YouTube channel PSVR No parole with more corroboration of UploadVR, Sony held a developer summit on Tuesday where it detailed new information about the drivers and game development strategy for the PSVR sequel, and seemed to confirm some features that have already been reported.
Among the new details, next-generation PSVR drivers (or NGVR drivers, based on what PSVR Sense Parole claims to be the device’s code name) can not only detect when you hold the controller and touch the buttons, but also how far away there your fingers are. The feature sounds a bit like the radar detection that Google incorporated into its phones and smart home devices in the past with the Soli chip.
According to reports, Sony also told developers that they were looking for a hybrid model for future versions of AAA on PlayStation. The goal is to have optional VR support for all major versions, similar to what it does Resident Evil 7 i No Man’s Sky received on PS4 and PS5. As far as we know, you still need a console to use the PSVR, but if this plan is true, you can choose to play important AAA titles in virtual reality or on your TV.
Sony publicly announced the next-generation PSVR in February and detailed the features of its new drivers shortly thereafter. Given the official information and what UploadVR has reported on the possible specifications of the device, this is what we know about the new generation PSVR so far:
- The new generation PSVR connects to PlayStation consoles via a single cable, without the need for any passthrough frame
- The headphones feature higher resolution OLED screens that offer 2000 x 2040 pixels per eye (for a total 4K resolution) with an improved field of view of 110 degrees (10 degrees wider than the PSVR).
- According to reports, Sony plans to use a flexible scale resolution in conjunction with feativa rendering enabled through eye tracking, to allow the device to only represent what it is actually looking at. The overall goal was to reduce pressure on PSVR and PS5 and improve performance.
- Sony is reported to be using internal monitoring outside of the next-generation PSVR, and the company says the device drivers will have adaptive triggers, tactical feedback, touch-sensitive buttons and, according to reports, the ability to detect the distance between fingers and the device.
If all of these features are maintained, it looks like Sony has adopted a fair amount of the new virtual reality standards popularized by Oculus Quest and Quest 2, and some of the higher features of Valve Index and HTC Vive Pro. According to reports from Bloomberg, Sony won’t really launch the new PSVR until the 2022 holiday, but the company could finalize and announce more details later this year.