PlayStation VR2 facts for kids
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| Also known as | PS VR2 (abbreviation) |
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| Developer | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| Manufacturer | Sony |
| Product family | PlayStation |
| Type | Virtual reality headset |
| Generation | Ninth |
| Release date | February 22, 2023 |
| Introductory price | $549.99 / €599.99 / £529.99 |
| Units sold | <600,000 |
| Units shipped | 2,000,000 |
| Display | OLED, HDR, 110° field of view |
| Graphics | "4K" PenTile (2000 × 2040 per eye; 90 or 120 Hz refresh rate) |
| Controller input | PlayStation VR2 Sense controller, DualSense |
| Camera | 4 x outward-facing, 2 x inward-facing (for eye-tracking) |
| Platform | PlayStation 5, PC |
| Dimensions | 212×158×278 mm (w × h × l) |
| Weight | c. 560 grams |
| Backward compatibility |
No |
| Predecessor | PlayStation VR |
The PlayStation VR2 (often called PS VR2) is a special virtual reality headset made for the PlayStation 5 console and also for PCs. It was created by Sony Interactive Entertainment and first came out on February 22, 2023. This device lets you step into amazing virtual worlds, making games and experiences feel incredibly real.
Contents
Creating the PlayStation VR2: A Journey
The journey to create the PS VR2 took about six years. Developers worked on it at the same time they were building the PlayStation 5. Their main goal was to make a perfect match between the console and a virtual reality device. They also thought about how it could connect to a PC from the very beginning.
Announcements and Launch
Sony officially announced the PlayStation VR2 for the PlayStation 5 at the Consumer Electronics Show in 2022. Later, on November 2, 2022, they shared the release date, February 22, 2023, and the price.
Connecting to PCs
On February 22, 2024, Sony announced that the PlayStation VR2 was coming to PC in August 2024. The special adapter needed to connect the PS VR2 to a PC was released on August 7, 2024. However, some users found that certain features, like eye tracking and HDR, did not work when connected to a PC. There were also some challenges with Bluetooth connections and extra costs for the adapter and controllers.
Looking Ahead: Apple Vision Pro Support
In December 2024, there were reports that Sony was talking about making the PS VR2 controllers work with the Apple Vision Pro. This could mean that the controllers might eventually be sold separately. At Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference in June 2025, it was confirmed that the Vision Pro's operating system, visionOS 26, supported PS VR2 controllers.
How Many PS VR2s Are Out There?
In May 2023, Sony shared that almost 600,000 PlayStation VR2 units were sold to players in the first six weeks after launch. By March 18, 2024, Sony had made over 2 million units of the PS VR2. At that time, they paused manufacturing more headsets.
Inside the PS VR2: Cool Technology
The PS VR2 connects to your PlayStation 5 with just one USB-C cable. This makes it super easy to plug in and start playing. The cable is about 4.5 meters (14.7 feet) long, giving you plenty of room to move. Even though Sony looked into making it wireless, they chose a cable to make sure the performance was the best it could be.
The headset is lighter than the first PlayStation VR, and its design was improved to make it more comfortable to wear. It also gives you a wider view of the virtual world, about 110 degrees, so you can see more of what's happening around you.
Sound and Comfort Features
The headset has a built-in microphone and a headphone jack. With the PS5's special 3D audio technology, sounds in games can feel like they are coming from all around you. This makes the virtual world even more immersive. The PS VR2 also has a clever cooling system with a small fan. This helps keep the internal parts cool and stops the lenses from fogging up while you play.
Playing in Your Space
You can set up your play area for the PS VR2 using its cameras and controllers. There are three main ways to play, depending on the game:
- Sitting: Perfect for games where you don't need to move much.
- Standing: For games where you stand in one spot.
- Room-scale: This lets you move around a larger area in your room, making the game feel even more active.
Amazing Visuals
The PS VR2 has two OLED screens that show incredibly clear images in 4K resolution. These screens also support HDR, which means colors look brighter and more vibrant. They can refresh very quickly (90 or 120 times per second), making movements in games look super smooth.
There's a "Social Screen" feature that lets others watch what you're doing on a regular TV in 2D. You can also use "Cinematic Mode" to watch regular games or movies on a giant virtual cinema screen inside the headset.
The headset uses special lenses that help make the image beautiful and bright, while reducing blurry effects. You can also adjust the distance between the lenses to fit your eyes perfectly. The part of the headset that touches your face can be removed for cleaning and is designed to fit many different head and nose shapes.
How the PS VR2 Tracks You
Unlike the first PlayStation VR, which needed an external camera, the PS VR2 uses four cameras on the front of the headset to track your movements. These cameras also keep an eye on your controllers. They even let you see your real-world surroundings without taking off the headset, which is called "see-through view."
The headset also has two cameras inside that track your eyes. This "eye-tracking" helps games run smoother by focusing the detailed graphics only where you are looking. It can also be used to select things in games just by glancing at them!
Feeling the Game
The PS VR2 headset has a small motor inside that gives you subtle vibrations. This "haptic feedback" makes games feel more real. For example, you might feel a character's heartbeat or the rush of objects passing close to your head.
Controlling Your Virtual World
The PS VR2 comes with new Sense controllers. These controllers are designed to be comfortable and easy to hold, shaped like a hollowed-out sphere. They have special lights that the headset's cameras use to track their exact position and how you're holding them.
The Sense controllers include cool features from the DualSense controller, like vibrations (haptic feedback) and triggers that can feel different depending on what you're doing in the game. A neat new feature is "finger touch detection." This allows the controller to sense where your fingers are, letting you make more natural hand gestures in games.
Playing Without Controllers
In 2024, Sony announced that the PS VR2 supported playing games using just your hands, without needing the controllers. A demonstration of this "hand tracking" feature was shown at a big conference in Asia. Players could use their fingers to interact with virtual objects. As of today, two games, Waltz of the Wizard and Masters of Light, support this controller-free hand tracking.
In the 2025 Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple confirmed that the Sense controllers were supported with Apple's Apple Vision Pro mixed-reality headset.
Exciting Games and Experiences
There are many exciting games available for the PS VR2, with over 100 games in development and more than 30 titles ready at launch. Some popular games include:
- Resident Evil Village
- The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners – Chapter 2 – Retribution
- Five Nights at Freddy's: Help Wanted 2
- No Man's Sky
- Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy's Edge
- Demeo
- Moss and Moss: Book II (remastered versions)
- PS VR2 exclusive games like Horizon Call of the Mountain and The Dark Pictures: Switchback VR
Games like Gran Turismo 7 and Beat Saber also received updates to work with PS VR2, offering full game support for Gran Turismo 7 (except for two-player split-screen mode).
It's important to know that the PS VR2 is not compatible with games made for the older PlayStation VR headset. This is because the new headset uses different technology for tracking and displaying images. However, if you connect your PS VR2 to a PC using the special adapter, you can access thousands of VR games available on Steam.
See also
- List of PlayStation VR2 games
