The PlayStation VR2 (PS VR2) is a virtual reality headset used with the PlayStation 5 and personal computers. It was created by Sony Interactive Entertainment and introduced on February 22, 2023.
History and development
The development of the PlayStation VR2 took about six years and happened at the same time as the PlayStation 5. The goal was to create a perfect match between the console and the virtual reality device, with a focus on connecting to computers. Before the PlayStation VR2 was released, a display analyst from Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC) predicted that the next generation VR headset would have the highest pixel density on a commercial OLED panel, with a pixel density "well above 800 PPI."
At the 2022 Consumer Electronics Show, Sony announced the PlayStation VR2 for the PlayStation 5. A release date of February 22, 2023, and a retail price of $549.99 were announced on November 2, 2022, on the official PlayStation Blog.
On February 22, 2024, Sony announced that PC support for the PlayStation VR2 would be available in August 2024. The PlayStation VR2 PC adapter was released on August 7, 2024, through selected retailers. It received mixed reviews due to issues such as missing features like eye tracking and HDR, incompatibility with some Bluetooth adapters and motherboards, poor Bluetooth reception, and the added cost of the adapter and controllers needed to connect the PSVR2 to a PC. Eurogamer reported a Bluetooth pairing issue between the PC and the PSVR2 controllers.
In June 2024, Sony was reported to reduce game development for the headset.
On December 8, 2024, Bloomberg News reported that Sony was discussing making the PSVR2 controllers compatible with the Apple Vision Pro, which could also lead to the controllers being sold separately from the headset. At Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference in June 2025, it was announced that visionOS 26 for the Apple Vision Pro would include support for PSVR2 controllers.
Sales
In May 2023, Sony reported that a little less than 600,000 PlayStation VR2 units were sold to customers during the first six weeks after the product launched.
According to IDC, 595,500 units were shipped in the first quarter of 2023, 435,300 in the second quarter, 343,600 in the third quarter, and 325,200 in the fourth quarter of 2023. This totals 1,699,600 units shipped throughout 2023. As of March 18, 2024, Bloomberg stated that Sony has stopped making PSVR2 units after producing more than 2 million units.
Hardware
The headset connects to the PlayStation 5 console using a single USB-C cable. This cable sends 12 volts of power through Power Delivery and also transfers data and video using USB 3 and DisplayPort alt-mode. This setup allows the headset to be used easily with just plugging it in. The cable is 4.5 meters long (about 14.7 feet). Sony mentioned that they are still studying the possibility of a wireless connection, but they chose a cable design because they are concerned about how wireless might affect performance. Compared to the first PS VR headset, the new model is lighter. The headband has been redesigned for better comfort. The field of view has also increased to about 110 degrees.
The headset includes a built-in microphone and a stereo 3.5 mm headphone jack. It uses the PS5’s Tempest 3D AudioTech to support 3D audio through headphones. This allows in-game sounds to change based on the user’s position and head movements. The headset also has a cooling system with a duct and small fan. This system cools the onboard IC chip and helps prevent the lenses from fogging during use.
The play area for PS VR2 can be customized using cameras and the Sense controller. There are three different "VR Play Styles" depending on the game and compatibility: sitting, standing, or room-scale (which allows more movement).
The PS VR2 has two OLED panels with a "4K" display resolution and a refresh rate of 90 Hz or 120 Hz. Each panel has a resolution of 2,000 x 2,040 pixels and supports HDR. Like the original PS VR, the new model includes a Social Screen feature that lets others see what the player is experiencing on a TV screen in 2D. It also supports Cinematic Mode, which displays non-VR games and media on a virtual cinema screen at 1920×1080 resolution with 120 Hz HDR.
The headset uses fresnel lenses. These lenses reduce ghosting on a microscopic level and help create clear, bright images. The headset has a lens adjustment dial to fit different IPD measurements. The facial interface is designed to fit various head shapes and nose sizes and can be removed for cleaning.
Unlike the first PS VR, which used an external PlayStation Camera to track movement, the PS VR2 uses four cameras on the headset. These cameras also track the controllers and provide a "see-through view" feature, letting users see their surroundings without removing the headset. The headset has two inward-facing IR cameras for eye-tracking. This allows games to use foveated rendering, a technique that reduces the render resolution in areas where the player is not looking. Eye-tracking can also be used as an input method, such as selecting UI elements with a glance.
The headset includes a built-in motor for haptic feedback, which provides subtle vibrations for immersion, like feeling a character’s heartbeat or sensing objects passing near the head. Some sources note that Sony previously registered patents for using haptics to reduce motion sickness.
The PS VR2 uses new Sense controllers. These controllers are designed to balance weight and improve comfort while adding new features. The controllers are shaped like an orb or hollowed-out sphere to hold a ring of 14 IR LEDs for tracking. They include features from the DualSense controller, like haptic feedback and adaptive triggers. A new feature is finger touch detection, which uses five capacitive sensors on each controller to detect the positions of the thumb, index, and middle fingers, enabling natural gestures during gameplay.
In 2024, Sony announced that the PS VR2 will support controller-free hand tracking, similar to the Meta Quest. A demo of this feature was shown at the SIGGRAPH Asia conference. Two games, Waltz of the Wizard by Aldin Dynamics and Masters of Light by Coven SAS, now support this feature.
At the 2025 Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple confirmed that the Sense controllers are compatible with Apple’s Vision Pro mixed-reality headset.
Games and content
Sony shared that over 100 games are being created, with more than 30 ready to be released during the launch period. These include games such as 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 remasters, and exclusive titles for the PS VR2 like Horizon Call of the Mountain and The Dark Pictures: Switchback VR. Updates for Gran Turismo 7 and Beat Saber have also been made to work with the PS VR2.
Gran Turismo 7 will fully support the PS VR2, except for the 2-player splitscreen mode. This is different from the earlier game in the series, Gran Turismo Sport, which had limited support for the original PS VR headset.
The PS VR2 cannot be used with games designed for the previous generation of PS VR. Sony explained that differences in the controller tracking hardware and how images are displayed make it difficult to adapt older games for the new system. When connected to a PC using the PSVR2 PC adapter, PS VR2 users can play thousands of VR games available on Steam.
Reception
Pre-release reviews were mostly positive, praising the many improvements over its predecessor and its advanced technology. Some people had different opinions about the headset's price and its inability to use older games. Many game developers said the headset had strong features, especially when used with the PlayStation 5. The new Sense controllers were praised by CNET, while Eurogamer highlighted the HDR OLED screen for its brightness and contrast, saying it "now feels more comparable to a proper high-end OLED TV." Some reviewers said the wired connection was inconvenient. CNN described the launch library as "solid," but The Telegraph had concerns about future first-party software plans beyond the current offering. On Metacritic, out of 51 professional critic reviews, 14 were in the "Extremely positive" category, 33 in the "Positive" category, 4 in the "Mixed" category, and 0 in the "Negative" category.
After launch, reviews of the peripheral became negative, with professional critics pointing out the lack of first-party games and other issues that affected the product's success. In July 2023, Dave Meikleham from Tom's Guide said he "[had] big time buyer's remorse" after using the PSVR2 for several months. In March 2024, Isaiah Richard from Tech Times said Sony was seeing unsold PSVR2 units piling up despite upcoming games. In the same month, IGN published an article suggesting Sony seemed to have stopped supporting the PlayStation VR2. Bloomberg reported that Sony paused the manufacturing of PlayStation VR2 due to low sales. In June 2024, Jay Peters from The Verge said he "regret[s] buying the PSVR 2." A reporter from Digital Trends said his unit was "collecting dust." Android Central claimed Sony had reduced funding for VR games, citing a lack of support for the PSVR2.
In January 2025, former PlayStation executive Shuhei Yoshida apologized for being "wrong" about PS VR2, saying he believed the headset's market reception did not meet his expectations.