PlayStation VR2 – First Look

You know we’re big VR users on this site and so we’re pleased with these new images of what will be the next generation virtual reality headset for PlayStation 5. Let’s hope it’s a lot better than the last one, and of course, full compatibility with Gran Turismo 7 and the rest of the platform’s titles.

Today I’m particularly pleased to unveil the stunning new design of our next generation VR headset, PlayStation VR2, along with an updated and final design image of our PlayStation VR2 Sense controller.

You’ll see that the PS VR 2 headset has a similar shape to the PS VR2 Sense controller, taking on a matching “orb” look. The circular orb shape represents the 360-degree view that gamers feel when they enter the virtual reality world, so this shape captures that nicely.

The design of the PS VR2 headset was also inspired by the look and feel of the PS5 family of products. When our design team created the PS5 console, they also had the next generation VR headset in mind, so you’ll notice some similarities in the look and feel. The PS5 console has flat edges, as it is meant to be viewed on a flat surface, while more emphasis was placed on adding roundness to the design of the PS VR2 headset, as it is meant to have constant human contact, similar to the rounded edges of the DualSense controller and Pulse 3D headset.

Our goal is to create a headset that not only becomes an attractive part of your living room decor, but also keeps you immersed in the game world, to the point where you almost forget you’re wearing a headset or a controller. That’s why we’ve paid close attention to the ergonomics of the headset and conducted extensive testing to ensure a comfortable feel for a variety of head sizes. We already received a lot of positive feedback on the ergonomics of the first PS VR headset by carefully balancing the weight of the headset and having a simple headband that can be adjusted, so we kept the same concept for the PS VR2 headset. Other features, such as the adjustable headset visor, which moves the visor area closer to or further away from the face, and the location of the stereo headphone jack, remain the same, so gamers will be familiar with them.

PlayStation VR2 – First Look

In the case of the PS VR2 visor, we’ve taken comfort a step further by adding new features such as the lens adjustment dial, so users have an additional option to adjust the lens distance between their eyes and optimize their vision. We also created a slimmer design with a slight reduction in weight, even with the new features added, such as the new built-in motor for helmet vibration. It was a challenge to create a slimmer design with new features added to improve our first headset, but our design and engineering teams proved it was possible when we saw the final design.

In addition, we have integrated a new ventilation design for the PS VR2 headset that we believe users will enjoy. Yujin Morisawa, senior art director at SIE, led the design of the PS VR2 headset and explains why this is his favorite part of the design:

“When I started working on the design of the PlayStation VR2 helmet, one of the areas I wanted to focus on first was the idea of creating a vent in the helmet to let air out, similar to the vents on the PS5 console that allow airflow. Our engineers came up with this idea as a good way to allow ventilation and prevent the lens from fogging up while gamers are immersed in their VR games. I worked on many design concepts to achieve this, and in the final design, you can see that there is a small gap between the top and front surface of the visor that contains the integrated ventilation. I am very proud of how it turned out and the positive feedback I have received so far. I hope our PlayStation fans agree as well, and I’m looking forward to having them try it out.” – Yujin Morisawa, Senior Art Director, SIE

Another detail we wanted to share: just like the thousands of tiny PlayStation symbols we added to the design of the PS5 console and DualSense controller, we’ve also included tiny PlayStation symbols on the front and back bands of the PS VR2 headset for gamers to enjoy.

When PS VR2 is released, it will be a breakthrough in virtual reality gaming. The PS VR2 system features many exciting new features, including stunning visual fidelity in 4K HDR and next-generation graphics rendering, enhanced tracking such as inside-out camera tracking, new PlayStation VR2 Sense technology features such as helmet vibration, and the intuitive new PS VR2 Sense controller, which creates an incredibly deep sense of immersion. In addition, the PS VR2 system comes with a simple one-cable setup so you can connect to your games immediately. PS VR2 development kits are already in the hands of game creators, and we’re excited about what they’ll come up with to make virtual reality an extraordinary experience for gamers. We can’t wait to share with you more details about PS VR2 – stay tuned.

In the meantime, below is the list of official specs.