While the PlayStation VR headset is compatible with the PS5, it's hard to forget that Sony designed the peripheral with the PS4 in mind. Not only is it a pain to set up, but the design itself is a bit outdated. Sony had hinted that there would be a dedicated PS5 follow-up, and now it has been confirmed.
The PS5 will have its own dedicated PSVR headset, and developers will soon begin working with the device. The only caveat is that it may not reach consumers for a long time.
This information comes from the Washington Post, which summarized an interview with PlayStation CEO Jim Ryan.
The biggest news, of course, is that a follow-up to PSVR is definitely in development, and that developers will soon have the opportunity to work on prototype models.
But we also know a little about the design of the upcoming device: "We will be moving to a very simple single-code setup.
This is a far cry from the current PSVR procedure, which requires users to connect wires to three different devices (console, TV, and processing unit) and hope they don't run the risk of tripping during game play.
The only thing we know about the hardware comes from a post on PlayStation's official blog, which was uploaded shortly after Ryan's comments to the Washington Post. For the most part, the blog post covers the same ground as Ryan's interview, with the exception of a paragraph about a tentative controller for the new PSVR. Hideaki Nishino, senior vice president of platform planning and management at Sony Interactive Entertainment,
said, "One of the key innovations we are excited about is the new VR controller, which brings some of the key features found in the DualSense wireless controller It will incorporate some of the key features found in the DualSense wireless controller with a focus on superior ergonomics," he wrote.
Whether this means that the upcoming PSVR will feature a more traditional controller or whether the new controller will simply incorporate very subtle haptics is up for interpretation at this point. It is also quite possible that Sony itself has not finalized the design. After all, a follow-up to the PSVR is not likely to be released anytime soon.
Both Ryan and Nishino agree: Both Ryan and Nishino agree that the next PSVR will not be available this year, and both executives do not have a definite timeline in mind. In fact, Ryan believes that while VR is past its infancy, it still has a long way to go before it truly becomes a mainstream gaming accessory.
"I think we are more than a few minutes away from the future of VR," he says. 'At some point in the future, VR will be an important component of interactive entertainment.' Will it be this year? No. Will it be next year? No. Will it be next year? We believe so."
As to whether the next PSVR model will usher in the era of "meaningful elements" or merely a stepping stone, we will have to wait until 2022 at the earliest.
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