Sony just casually announced PSVR 2's biggest upgrade yet, and I'm ecstatic
PSVR 2 is finally getting PC support, and the best part is, it could be coming sooner than you think.
According to Sony's latest PlayStation Blog post, Sony is currently testing PC compatibility and hopes to make it available this calendar year. Camouflaged under news about exciting new games coming to the platform, Gillen McAllister, Manager of Content Communications at SIE had this to say:
"We are currently testing the ability for PS VR2 players to access additional games on PC to offer even more game variety in addition to the PS VR2 titles available through PS5. We hope to make this support available in 2024, so stay tuned for more updates", he casually noted.
This news comes exactly a year on from the launch of PSVR 2, which we consider to be the best VR headset for gaming on the market. Much-requested PC support would only make that truer since its feature set is top-notch for its price.
PC support has been attempted by plenty of eager fans and early adopters, but it's proven very tricky, and nigh on impossible to make PlayStation's second VR device work with Steam. With Sony officially testing it for themselves, PSVR 2 could give the PC VR market the shake-up it needs.
Besides the HTC Vive Pro 2 and Valve Index that are still trucking along, there's a widening gap in the market for PC gaming-specific VR headsets. The Meta Quest 2 and 3 do work with PC, but their standalone nature and mixed-reality features mean they're not suited for that purpose first and foremost.
Even with competitors in mind, PSVR 2 as a standalone device for PC VR gaming is monumentally cheaper. $550 / £530 for a device with 4K resolution per eye, foveated rendering, integrated tracking, and an OLED display is exceptional value for money on PC. The HTC and Valve options come closest to that set of features and they both require close to a grand for their full kits, tracking modules, controllers, and more.
I do have a bit of a hunch that we'll see at least one new PC VR headset release or even get announced this year, and maybe Sony's decision to add PC support attests to that. On the other hand, this could be in line with PlayStation's strategy of bringing its exclusive games to PC, or indeed to help it compete with standalone headsets like Apple Vision Pro and the Meta Quest 3.
In my opinion, this isn't necessarily a move Sony is taking because of poor sales figures in the device's first year. While it's tough to say for sure because Sony has kept those figures close to its chest, by all accounts PSVR 2 has sold around as many units as the first PSVR, which is a perfectly on-trend amount for a niche VR device.
While I wouldn't argue that PSVR 2 hasn't sold well, I reckon the Quest 3 is probably selling better, and with Apple Vision Pro creating a buzz around the market, Sony probably wants to keep firing from the hip to keep gamers interested.
Regardless, PC support for PSVR 2 is a really exciting thing, and although we don't know what form it will take yet, whether it's through a downloadable app or simple driver support, it's something to look forward to.
If you don't have a gaming PC ready to take advantage of PSVR 2's pending upgrades, there's still good news for you. Along with Legendary Tales and Metro Awakening, PSVR 2 is soon getting some new games. The Wizards - Dark Times: Brotherhood launches today on the PlayStation store, Wanderer: The Fragments of Fate will release on June 27, Little Cities: Bigger will come out on March 12, Zombie Army VR is confirmed for 2024, and Arizona Sunshine 2's free update has shadow dropped today.
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