The PlayStation VR2 is finally being unleashed upon the world, with the launch on February 22nd. Sony’s next generation VR headset packs in a lot of cutting edge tech and unique innovations to really push the envelope for VR on PlayStation and you can read our review of the final product right here.
While we were busy testing it all out and forming our impressions, we also reached out on social media to see what burning questions our readers had, and you all had quite a lot to ask! We’ve done our best to pick the ones we thought warranted discussing and hopefully given you the answers you were looking for before taking the plunge on a PS VR2, so have a read below:
How is the setup process? – Tim, Twitter
This is definitely one of my favourite things about the PlayStation VR2. Thanks to the cameras mounted into the headset itself and the eye tracking tech, it takes just a few moments for the system to map out your play space as well as measure your eyes for the optimal lens distance and then you’re off and running! A lot of the guess work and fiddliness of the original PS VR’s setup process is completely eliminated – not to mention the ease of popping in a single USB-C cable to the console instead of the IKEA puzzle that was the old passthrough box.
How much better is the Cinematic Mode compared to the first PSVR? – Jett, Facebook
Cinematic Mode on the PS VR2 definitely benefits from the increased fidelity and HDR colours of the displays, and if you’re anything like me and had issues with the cinematic view shifting over time on the original headset that’s completely gone now that there’s no external camera tracking the headset. That said, it’s still not quite at the level that I’d opt to watch movies/play games in the headset over my TV, but if a TV isn’t an option or you’re trying not to disturb others it’s definitely very playable/watchable.
READ OUR FULL REVIEW OF THE PLAYSTATION VR2 HERE
I’d like to know about fundamental things like how it handles god rays, screen door effect, blurriness/sweet spot. And I know it uses OLED displays, but how good are the black levels and HDR? – Patterson, Twitter
Some of the usual VR issues like the screen door effect, god rays and things are still here in incredibly small degrees, but so little that it’s barely noticeable. As far as the quality of the displays go this is easily the best I’ve seen so far (although I haven’t tried the highest of high end PC VR headsets to make a comparison there). The OLED displays look great in terms of colours and black levels, a great example is the Kayak VR: Mirage game which has a lot of moonlit night scenes that maintain a really nice level of detail and visibility in the headset.
Please try the unit in a well lit room and a dark room to see how much of a difference it makes to tracking. I don’t particularly want to play with the light on at night when the family is sleeping. – Keith, Facebook
Yeah, it very much doesn’t work with the lights out. To properly track the Sense controllers the headset needs to be able to see them. It’s not too bad in low light, but if it gets too dark the headset will ask you to fix that before it’ll let you play.
How’s the pressure on the back of the skull? The strap on the Quest always pressed against the back of my skull and hurt after a short amount of time. – Clive, Facebook
The pressure and weight distribution are pretty similar to the original PlayStation VR, which is to say they’re quite good. The adjustment dial at the back lets you tighten it all as much or as little as you like and the cushioning is quite nice (it also seems a lot less prone to flaking or deteriorating like the last PS VR). It’s definitely the most comfortable VR headset I’ve used by a long shot.
Any idea when the updates for GT7, No Man’s Sky, etc go live? – Jason, Facebook
February 22nd is the date for all of the updates to games like Gran Turismo 7, No Man’s Sky, Resident Evil Village and others. As far as exact times go, it’s probably going to vary by title and we haven’t had much in the way of confirmation but I’d fully expect things to start going live in the hours leading up to launch day.
What’s the battery life on the Sense controllers? – Omeyn, Twitter
It’s about 4-5 hours in my experience, which is generally more than long enough for a single VR session. You’ll definitely want to remember to put them on charge between uses though, and given their form factor and the fact you only get one USB-C cable in the box I’d highly recommend just picking up the dual charger that Sony will be selling at launch to make storing and charging them easier.
Is the PSVR2 glasses friendly? – Niel, Facebook
Absolutely, I wear quite big frames and I haven’t had a single issue with things being comfortable and looking right. Because the headset is so adjustable and the eye tracking is so good at helping you calibrate everything to be in focus I found I could create a fair bit of distance from my glasses to the PS VR2’s lenses so nothing was at risk of scratching, as well.
My biggest question is if it’s better for motion sickness with games that require you to move around, I’m fine with Beat Saber and stuff like that but if I’ve gotta walk, nope. – Michael, Facebook
Look, this one is still going to vary between different users, but I’ve struggled a touch with motion sickness in the past on the original PS VR and the Quest 2 and this was the most comfortable experience I’ve had so far. I even felt brave enough to play Horizon Call of the Mountain with all of the comfort assists turned off and had absolutely no problems whatsoever. The great thing is you can quickly switch to a view of your real-world surroundings just by pressing a button on the headset so if you need to regain your bearings in a hurry you can.
Can the cable be disconnected from the headset? – Jacob, Facebook
The short answer? Yes. The long answer is that to do so you will need to unscrew some stuff to access the part of the headset the other end of the USB-C cable is plugged into. I’d hang out for some videos and tutorials to come out once more people get their hands on the headset to see if that’s something you’re comfortable with doing, but the good news is that should something happen to your cable it looks relatively painless to change over.
THE CHEAPEST PRICE: $878 AT AMAZON WITH FREE SHIPPING.
I’m wondering how well it fits with different styles/shapes of head phones? I’m currently using the SteelSeries Artis 7 & would prefer to continue with them over the ear buds. – Chris, Facebook
I’ve tried the INZONE H9 headset with my PlayStation VR2 and it was definitely easy and comfortable enough to wear. I think the bigger the band/cups the better, in that instance. That said, the included in-ear buds are surprisingly good from an audio standpoint, fit neatly into the unit and come with multiple sized tips so I’d urge you to at least give those a go before you settle on your usual gaming headset.
Any killer apps yet? – Felinius, Twitter
Yep – Horizon Call of the Mountain is easily what I’d consider a killer app for the PS VR2. You can read my review and this breakdown of the very neat Machine Safari mode to find out a bit more in depth but the short version is it’s a gorgeous-looking, properly AAA VR game that makes great use of all of the innovative features of the PlayStation VR2. It’s a real treat.
Can we use TV speakers instead of headset? – Ag, Facebook
Definitely. It’s a lot more immersive with headphones but if that’s uncomfortable you can take advantage of the “social screen” aspect of the PS VR2, which lets others view your gameplay on the TV, to play the audio externally.
How does it smell? – Buddy, Twitter
Out of the box? Like a fresh, new next-gen headset. After a few hours of Pistol Whip? Not as good.
Can I borrow it? – Mark, Twitter
No.
The PlayStation VR2 releases on February 22nd, 2023.
