Game News PS5: PSVR 2 too advanced for PSVR games, no backwards compatibility?
Published on 09/17/2022 at 10:15
Sony would like to hit hard with its PSVR2, so hard that it alone would redefine the VR experience offered so far by the firm. Unfortunately, projecting so much into the future also means turning our backs on the past. In the case of the PSVR2, not sure that this news is encouraging for those who wanted to enjoy Sony’s first VR games with this new headset.
The future of VR
Sony intends to revolutionize the small world of virtual reality with its new helmet, the PSVR 2. OLED screen, refresh rate between 90 and 120 Hz, on-board vibrations, new tracking system and completely redesigned controllers… the Japanese giant sees things very, very big and aspires to become a true reference in VR tech.
Not content to embed state-of-the-art technology, the PSVR 2 will also be accompanied by a nice catalog of games. With titles like Horizon : Call of the Mountainthe VR version of Resident Evil Village, Firewall Ultra or The Walking Dead : Saints & Sinners – Chapitre 2 : Retribution, Sony wants to stand out both in terms of tech, but also with high-end games, available right out of the headset. As Jim Ryan explained last May, YOU “spends a ton of money on partnerships with independent studios and third-party developers to secure a huge catalog of compelling VR games for the PSVR 2 release.”
But then, what regarding the games available on Sony’s first headset? In this regard, Hideaki Nishino, vice president of the platform experience service, announces bad news.
Too advanced for backwards compatibility
It was yesterday during a podcast dedicated to PSVR 2 (around 29 min) that Hideaki Nishino broke the bad news. The upcoming headset will not include backwards compatibility for older PS4 VR games. The reason ? The technology that the PSVR 2 would embark would simply be “too advanced”.
PSVR games are not compatible with the PSVR 2 because this headset is designed to offer a true next-gen VR experience. (…) The PSVR 2 embeds so much more advanced tech, such as new controllers with feedback haptics and adaptive triggers, inside-out tracking, tracking inside the helmet and 3D audio. It involves a completely different approach than the original PSVR. (…)
The news is enough to disappoint more than one. For owners of the first PSVR, being forced to switch back to an aging headset to enjoy old games remains frustrating. As for those who hoped to afford the PSVR 2 and launch an assault on PS4 VR games, there too the appointment is missed. For headphone release in early 2023we hope at least that the announced revolution will live up to our expectations.