First Look at the PlayStation VR2 Headset

Photo: Playstation

By: Nick Gambino

We’re finally getting our first official look at the upcoming PlayStation VR2 headset. As part of the reveal, we also get to see the new VR2 Sense controllers. The design of both the headset and the controllers are symbiotic and intentionally so.

“You’ll notice the PS VR2 headset has a similar shape as the PS VR2 Sense controller, taking on a matching ‘orb’ look,” Hideaki Nishino, the Senior VP Platform Experience at PlayStation, said in a blog post. “The circular orb shape represents the 360-degree view that players feel when they enter the virtual reality world, so this shape captures it nicely.”

We first caught wind of a next-gen PlayStation VR headset a year ago, but since then only bits and pieces have trickled out. The black-and-white body suggests a desire for the company to create a cohesive design amongst their gaming products as these are the same colors the PS5 uses. In fact, they’ve acknowledged that this was intentional.

The new PS VR2 isn’t a complete departure from the first PS VR but of course, features a number of improvements. There’s now a lens adjustment dial that allows users to optimize their VR view. While there have been ways to adjust the lens for improved viewing, namely through the settings menu, this new dial brings it up a notch.

Beyond total immersion, another vital element in making any VR headset successful, or even making VR adoption a household thing, is the weight. Much like smartphones continue to slim down, so must VR headsets. The new PS VR2 sports a lighter weight and slimmer body even with the new guts jammed inside the thing.

Another upgrade is the new vent system. This was a key element they’ve been working on for a while. Essentially, this vent works the way the vent on the side of your console works. It allows air to escape so as to not fog up your lenses or play havoc on the innards of that expensive piece of equipment. They’ve placed the vent “between the top and front surface of the scope.”

There’s still no word on when the PS VR2 will be available for purchase or even how much it’ll cost, but we’ll keep you posted.