PSVR Feels Left Behind With the Release of the PS5 – PlayStation LifeStyle

Even as a huge fan of PlayStation VR, I have to admit the technology is starting to feel a little bit left behind. PSVR was already a bit cumbersome to begin with. From its mess of cables, to needing to block out a space to use it in, VR in general is a hard sell for the average consumer. As much as I love virtual reality, its not often I can convince myself to drag out the headset, make sure the cabling isnt tangling around anything in the room, and completely block out the outside world while I get into VR games. Its just not my top choice when the alternative is falling back onto the couch and booting up something else. VR, by comparison, is an event; something that takes a lot of perceived effort to play (even if the actual execution is relatively trivial).

With the release of the PS5, PSVR took a significant back seat. Backwards compatibility was supposed to make the transition from PS4 to PS5 seamless, and for the most partminus a few hiccupsit has. But, even with backwards compatibility letting you play PSVR games on the new console, there are even more hoops to jump through in order to get the old tech to function with your PS5. Sonys new PS5 HD Camera does not work with the PSVR headset (making one wonder what the point of this new camera even is). You need a special adapter for the old PS4 PlayStation Camera in order to get the VR headset working, and that adapter doesnt even work with the original squared-off model of the PS4 camera.

Likewise, for games that use a standard controller and not the Move motion controllers, youll need to use a DualShock 4. The PS5s DualSense wont work with old PSVR games. PSVR was already a chore to pull out and play, and with the PS5, I wanted to simplify my gaming setup, not overcomplicate it. Rather than run excessive cables for my PSVR headset, I threw it into the closet in my office for the time being, waiting for Sony to either pull the plug on VR or update with newer tech for the PS5.

Perhaps the biggest kicker here is the fact that there are no PSVR games that run as native PS5 apps. No Mans Sky and its excellent VR mode are limited to the PS4 version of the game. The enhanced PS5 version does not include VR capabilities because the PS5 does not have a native VR solution. Similarly, Hitman III is adding VR for the entire trilogys scenarios, letting you play everything in immersive VR from the perspective of Agent 47. The catch is that the PS5 version, releasing in January 2021, has to come with a free PS4 version of the game that youll need to run as a separate application in order to get the brand new PSVR mode. Its an awkward solution for something thats supposed to be new and exciting.

Of course, rumors abound that theres a new PSVR solution on the way. The current iteration of PSVR is more than five years old. (There was a small refresh mid-life that resolved some of the launch units cable mess and enabled HDR passthrough on the processor unit, but its mostly the same hardware.) It was also one of the last outside-in positional tracking headsets, with multiple big VR headset manufacturers iterating on their designs to support inside-out tracking that doesnt require an external camera or nodes to provide positional data. While PSVR was one of the most affordable and accessible headsets when it launched in 2016, its been surpassed multiple times over in the years since by standalone and PC VR tech that is quite simply better.

Sonys primary focus right now is on the PS5 post-launch period. At less than two months since the console has released, inventory shortages, and a few wrinkles to smooth out in the next-gen consoles tech, it makes sense that Sony didnt want to muddle the launch with a brand new PSVR headset. After all, with more than 114 million PS4s in the world and only around 5 million PSVR headsets sold, the attach rate for the headset is comparatively small.

But for those 5 million PSVR owners, questions remain on Sonys ongoing support for virtual reality. The headset already utilized dated tech, centering on the old PS3 Move controllers that released back in 2010. And now on PS5, players are forced to make use of technology across a decadethree generations of PlayStation consolesin order to enjoy virtual reality. As one of the companies that pioneered VR to a more mainstream audience, Sonys PlayStation VR is certainly starting to feel quite left behind.

I dont think VR is something Sony will drop entirely. While the company has a track record for abandoning new and hyped initiatives that dont get great attach rates, virtual reality feels a bit too seeded into the market to let it go now. Still, its disappointing that the move to PS5, with all its promises of a smooth transition and backwards compatibility, has left VR feeling like something of an afterthought, with only crumbs and rumors as a promise for the future. If that future could offer inside-out tracking on a wireless headset utilizing the power of the PS5s custom SSD for premium virtual reality experiences, then Sony could once again reign supreme as a key player in the effort to bring VR to the mainstream. For now though, my PSVR headset is starting to catch as much dust as my Vita.

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PSVR Feels Left Behind With the Release of the PS5 - PlayStation LifeStyle