A lot will be made of the Japanese giant's own support of the device, and it's true that in terms of first-party exclusives, the future looks bleak. The platform holder appears to have zero interest in creating its own library of internally developed software for the system, as evidenced by even Astro Bot's omission. Team ASOBI, which shot to fame with virtual reality games The Playroom VR and Astro Bot Rescue Mission, diplomatically said its new game was never designed to support PSVR2; the truth is it thinks it can reach a larger audience by focusing on pancake play with its anticipated upcoming platformer.
Sony, then, is relying on developer relations to ensure it secures all of the big third-party content for its format. And to be fair, it's finding success: noteworthy upcoming titles include atmospheric sci-fi horror shooter Alien: Rogue Incursion, first-person fantasy game Behemoth, and underground survival foray Metro Awakening. All three titles are being developed by established studios known for making some of the biggest and best virtual reality releases, so the pedigree is there.
It's a thin list for a peripheral that, even with discounts to $349, is still fairly expensive. However, the platform holder will also be hoping that forthcoming PC support adds value to the peripheral outside of the PlayStation ecosystem. You will need to purchase an adapter to connect the headset to your computer, but doing so will allow you to use the device with Steam, so you can play exclusives like Half-Life Alyx et al. This may not appeal to everyone, but it does give the peripheral versatility and add value to the purchase.
And it wouldn't be fair to focus only on upcoming software, because PSVR2 has assembled a tidy selection of must play releases over the years. Standouts include hybrid experiences, like Resident Evil 4 and Gran Turismo 7, the latter of which is arguably at its best when enjoyed with the headset attached. The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners, Synapse, No Man's Sky, and even Horizon Call of the Mountain come recommended as well.
The experience itself is still enjoyable, too. While much has been made of PSVR2's lenses, which require some fiddling to find the sweet spot, it's still arguably the best way to experience many virtual reality titles outside of the PC ecosystem. This is because, compared to the Meta Quest 3 which has all of its hardware built into the headset itself, Sony's virtual reality solution can draw on the superior power of the PS5 hardware, which means you benefit from rapid loading times and sublime visuals. The eye-tracking also allows developers to utilize a technology named foveated rendering, which directs computational resources towards the parts of the screen you're looking at, thus improving overall visual quality.
So, PSVR2 is still very relevant hardware, with a strong established library and a handful of promising upcoming games. If you're not worried about the lack of first-party support and just want to enjoy some quality virtual reality experiences with a headset that's comfortable, then the price does finally seem just about right. It'll be interesting to see if this new-found momentum sparks a renaissance for the unit, or if this is Sony's last shot at clearing some stock. Either way, it's exciting to see some enthusiasm around the device again.
Do you think the time is finally right to buy PSVR2? Will you be grabbing one of the headsets with the new price point, or are you still not interested in virtual reality? Enter a different dimension in the comments section below.
