Sony is offering more details on its upcoming PlayStation VR2 headset today. After detailing the design of the PS VR2 earlier this year and some games that will support it, Sony now confirms that the headset will include a transparent view for viewing the environment, a broadcast mode for filming yourself while playing and a cinema mode where you can display non-VR games and multimedia content on a virtual cinema screen.
Sony’s PS VR2 transparent vision will allow gamers to keep the headset on, thanks to cameras embedded in the front of the headset. “It’s very useful when you want to easily check where the PS VR2 Sense controllers are in your room without removing your headset,” explains Yasuo Takahashi, Senior Product Manager, Sony Interactive Entertainment. The view is very similar to what’s available with Meta’s research headset.
PS VR2 transparent mode. Image: Sony What you’ll see in transparent mode. Image: Sony
If you’re interested in filming yourself while playing VR games, the PS VR2 will include a broadcast mode that requires a PS5 HD camera to be connected to the PS5. Broadcast mode will allow you to capture your movements or reactions during games and share them with the tools built into the PS5.
Just like the Meta Quest headset, you’ll also be able to create a play area for the PS VR2. The cameras embedded in the PlayStation VR2 headset will scan a room, and the VR2 Sense controllers will let you drag and drop the play area to your liking. It’s very similar to the Guardian play area in Meta Quest, and if you get close to the limit, you’ll get a warning about the play area limit.
The limit system for PS VR2 is very similar to Guardian. Image: Sony
Sony’s PS VR2 will have two main modes: VR mode and Cinematic mode. VR mode is designed for VR gaming content in a 360-degree virtual environment and will be displayed at a maximum HDR video resolution of 4000 x 2040 (2000 x 2040 per eye) and a frame rate of 90 Hz or 120 Hz.
Cinematic mode is designed for other VR content and drops the resolution to 1920×1080 HDR video with frame rate options of 24Hz, 60Hz and 120Hz. It is really designed for watching videos and players will be able to view the PS5 system UI and then switch to a virtual cinema screen to watch content.
We still don’t have a price or a release date for the PlayStation VR2, but Takahashi says that Sony will “share more information soon, including the release date and additional games coming to the platform.” Meanwhile, developers will begin getting access to the latest user experience for PS VR2 in a new system software update “coming soon as part of ongoing development.”
The broadcast feature of PS VR2. Image: Sony