Sony nuked PlayStation VR’s biggest problem by promising PS5 support

By confirming yesterday that the PlayStation 5 won’t arrive this year, and that it will continue to be PSVR-compatible, Sony’s senior PlayStation system architect Mark Cerny effectively threw the PSVR the lifeline it has needed for at least a year. While the announcement doesn’t preclude Sony from launching a more powerful PSVR 2 in the future, it makes clear that the 80-plus-million PlayStation 4 owners without PSVRs can buy in now without fear of wasting their money.

[porkChop]

Considering the PS5 will be backwards compatible, it had to be compatible with PSVR. I had no doubt that PSVR would be supported. But PSVR2 is definitely coming, although maybe not right away.

[nveenio]

I care just as much about graphics quality as display quality, so being PS5 compatible is just as cool for me as an improved display.

[MoonConquistador]

Indeed, and it goes a long way in saying Sony aren't trying to force your hand on spending more (than you need to) to experience VR on PS5.

If you have PSVR already then that fits in well with their backwards compatibility strategy

[VenomUK]

PSVR 1 support on PS5 is great news. The resolution of the headset can't be changed, but the extra computing power can be used to boost quality. This means games will have a higher frame rate (so important for reducing motion sickness) and the graphics can be more detailed so they resemble the quality of their 2D counterparts. For example, Skyrim VR could have the detail of Skyrim Special Edition.

[ooquis]

Can you just imagine, Resident Evil 7 with native 1080p goodness....can't wait.

[Sirk7x]

Yeah, going back, the games are still going to look much better. Framerates, draw distance, heavier anti-aliasing. Can't wait. Having a PSVR, and confirming BC, basically makes me want to buy a PS5 on day one now. It gives them more time to develop a new headset as well, and consumers will have the option of a cheaper entry point into VR in the meantime, until price drops/saving money/etc.

[Unspoken]

The biggest problem to PSVR is the fact there is no PSVR2. The headset was due for an upgrade immediately upon release, re-using inferior camera and control tech. Sony: great at paid for exclusives, timed releases, and holding back tech.

[gamer7804]

If they can get 4k without screen door effect and have a super light visor that's about the weight of glasses that would be great. also transparency selector on the visor so u can adjust how much of the outside world you want to see through it.

[UltraNova]

Year 2030 is that >> way.

[mkis007]

Even the vive pro has screen door effect. Just got to try it recently and honestly the psvr screen holds up well considering it is now 1/3 the price.

[Finch]

We about a year away from the new oculus and vive. Oculus is doing a small upgrade this year with the oculus S. But come next year we might really see some good looking vr.

[Redrex7000]

idk about 4K
but 1080P
would still be
a big STEP UP
in VR

[crazyCoconuts]

I expected PSVR titles to work with PSVR2, but when you think about having the PS5 support the design decisions of psvr1, I'm pleasantly surprised they're going that far. Assuming PSVR2 will have a completely different tracking mechanism, PS5 will have to support the legacy light/camera approach. So all that "old" calibration and setup software needs to be a part of the new UX. And how about the controllers? I kinda doubt the new ones will have tracking lights if they're not needed, so will PS5 have to support older dual shocks if you're using a PSVR game that tracks controller movement? This commitment is pretty impressive if they stick to it...

[UltraNova]

They wouldn't dare promise it this soon if there was a chance they wouldn't come through with it.

[rainslacker]

The tracking itself is handled through input API's. Even if the way the input comes into the system is changed, it's still essentially gets sent to the program as a change variable that the program has to process. The current PSVR uses the camera to determine these changes, and it's rumored the next one won't require the camera, so whatever measures the change will be done through some other means.

I can't really think of a relevant example to describe it better. Maybe looking at old analog controllers when they first started coming out. Games were designed for D-Pad, but the analog stick on the new controllers could interpret the data from an analog stick input to be up, down, left, or right, or some combination of those. Whether it's done by a camera, or some sort of accelerators, the program wouldn't know the difference.

[crazyCoconuts]

@Rainslacker - you're describing the stuff I said is expected: PSVR1 titles running using PSVR2 hardware on PS5. Having PSVR1 and PSVR2 hardware support on the same platform is a different story. Sure the low level apis will be backwards compatible but the old hardware and tracking logic has to be carried forward to PS5 firmware.

[rainslacker]

It goes both ways really. Outside of new inputs on PSVR2, of which I can't really think of any that are required to track head movement, I don't see any reason the two couldn't be completely compatible through a system level interpreter, leaving the dev free to just make the game using a more generalized API. There are already tools out in the wild which do this for the various VR's available on PC, and allow for porting to PSVR, or even mobile devices, or vice versa. They work perfectly fine, because input is input, and the program doesn't know the difference. Really all VR is doing is determining the camera position, sometimes associated with a hit box, which is a separate thing.

[rainslacker]

I'm more curious if it will be compatible with new PS5 VR games myself. VR is really just an input device, with a HMD, so unless they drastically change the way the inputs work at a code level, it should be capable of still working on new games. I'm liking PSVR, but it'd probably be a while after launch before I got a PSVR2, even if it was significantly better than PSVR1.

[crazyCoconuts]

My guess is that psvr1 will work with all PSVR2 games, but there will be some VR games that require a PS5 to run. They have to be careful to keep it from getting too confusing for the non techie customers.

[mkis007]

Coconuts

I know its a real good conversation, but a big part of me thinks we wont get a new leap in VR if the next headsets are held back by a base version.

[FyBy]

Continuity of library for PS4 and PSVR is great. For me it is the reason to buy PS5 day one.

[jznrpg]

It’s definitely the number one reason !

[Bathyj]

Is there any doubt that PS5 can improve PSVR immensely?

While it can't improve resolution it can improve texture detail and framerate stability. Even if there's no PSVR 2, PS5 games can still be made to support it.

[Shikoku]

Won't be immensely as PsVr's biggest draw back is the 480p display.

[MoonConquistador]

Except that there are other aspects to graphics other than resolution which it can improve on. Which is precisely the point Bathyj made.

The 480p display was a limitation decision from Sony based on price and the power available from the PS4.

[Bathyj]

480p?

What damn display do you have?

[Shikoku]

Haha love down votes for stating facts.

[MoonConquistador]

Fair point Bathyj, I hit the reply button assuming he was at least using facts in his mud slinging attempt.

https://www.playstation.com...

[Bathyj]

Thanks Moon.
Is that 1080p I see in the official specs?
It's one thing to rag on something and be a jerk, but try not to just spread lies and call them facts.

[mkis007]

It isnt a 480p display. Not even close. It is a 1080p display unless you have one eye.

[Shikoku]

The one the PsVR has

[rainslacker]

I'm hoping for some patches to older games to enable VR modes in normal game play. Things like Gran Turismo, or Ace Combat 7. Wishful thinking probably though. Wouldn't mind if there's a system level way to handle the camera through VR where it essentially assigns the right stick to the tracking of the headset. It would be more limited than a VR mode, but could be quite handy for older games.

[boing1]

That was kinda obvious.

[BenRC01]

I forsee psvr V2 games not supporting psvr 1 due to a lack of certain (unknown) features. Or due to psvr 1 support the games won't take full advantage of V2 due to the already huge install base.

[ILostMyMind]

Of course.
PSVR for PS4 games on PS5.
PSVR2 for PS5 games.

[rainslacker]

I see it as possible that PSVR can support VR2 games. The headset is just a tracking device and HUD. There are no button inputs on the headset itself that interact with the game, so all the system has to do is interpret the PSVR1 input data as PSVR2 input data. Since the data is essentially the same, it should work fine. The only reason it may not is if the PSVR2 has a much more precise tracking system, and games are built to utilize that, but given the way VR games are made now, I don't think it'll be much of an issue since the change in space variables aren't that exacting, nor do they need to be.

[CrimsonWing69]

Good, this tech needs to grow and mature

[IRetrouk]

I think they pretty much have their plan on lock, they know what their consumers want from them and I think they have listened, the biggest news to me is how new the components they are using are, seems like a real step up, cant wait.

[RauLeCreuset]

One thing that hasn't really been discussed is how VR adaptation can help counter efforts to shift away from console based gaming.

[jznrpg]

I will have to get 2 PS5s near launch of PSVR2 . One for the rest of my family for their old PSVR and one for me with shiny new PSVR2 hehe

[AK91]

I just hope the rumour of PSVR 2 Being wireless is true.

[Kribwalker]

I would say the wires are the biggest problem for me. I’m not looking into getting it until we can have wireless if i get it

[AK91]

That is very fair as someone who owns a PSVR I can personally admit it’s a major pain in the a**

[rainslacker]

I don't mind the wire itself. I just don't like how short a distance you need to be from the camera to have the system recognize it to track. Even if you can track fine sitting across the room, some games like to put a display up that it can't track the headset if the camera remains by the TV. I ended up having to get a tripod to put the camera on, and it requires more set up to use. They made the PSVR cable more than long enough to reach across my living room, but seem to require too much of the light in the camera space to make it workable.

I do mostly just play games that let me stay seated though, so I'm not making full turns to get wrapped up in the wires. If you did play those kind of games, I can see why the wires may be an annoyance.

[mkis007]

Im sure they are working on at least a wireless pack add on. I am willing to bet though that they have something worked on fir the wires.

[Futureshark]

Fingers crossed new PSVR is wireless!

[SkatterBrain]

my psvr lenses fogging up and getting dirty with long eye lashes sucks and trying to find the move controllers and beats pro with the headaet on is annoying , the cord isnt really my bother

[mkis007]

I still love it but my gripe was with the nose part of the rubber mask. It would irritate my skin so much that I had to cut that part off.

Just keep in mind we are part of version 1. They will learn from iteration.

[froy402]

Id still rather wait for psvr2 than go out and buy psvr at this point in time and for those who already have it, well good news for them since they can carry it over

[Thundercat77]

Good news and I hope that PSVR2 is compatible with PSVR 1 games. I would like to play as Iron Man!

[Sirk7x]

Called this one lol. Sony is going to be showing off new VR games when they announce the PS5 line-up, and will have a strong support of the platform from day 1. They have the majority market share of it right now, and it's going to need to be a focal point. Just as PS4 doubled down on great exclusive content, Sony will have to do the same with exclusive PSVR titles to stand ahead.