PSVR2 three months later – the good, the bad, and the worrying

PSVR2 was launched just three months ago at the time of writing this article. Sony’s second foray into the potentially wonderful world of virtual reality, the headset itself has been praised as a great piece of kit, offers some impressive technical features and is actually relatively easy to use – one of the best in the current VR space. is a common complaint.

However, now that the honeymoon period is more or less over, we wanted to take a minute to assess life as PSVR2 owners so far. With that goal in mind, we’ve put together push square Editorial Team for Varieties Review. You can read on to find out our positives, negatives and everything in between.

Aaron Benn, Video Producer – “I Want More”

I think I’m going to be in a very similar boat to my peers when talking about PSVR2. It’s a technological marvel and a must-have piece of tech for VR enthusiasts. However, after plowing my way through the massive launch line-up, I’m left wanting more. With a much less visible 2023 release schedule it’s hard to imagine that Sony is going to convince anyone sitting on the fence to get this thing done, and that’s a truly worrying prospect.

I will say that I’m personally more inclined to play a few rounds of minigolf with a pal on PSVR2 than I ever was with PSVR. With a simple single cable set-up, it’s a great user experience and feels much more user friendly as a result. Needless to say, I’m constantly impressed with the technology of the Sense controllers and headset, which also make playing PSVR Classic on PSVR2 a dream.

This makes the past few months very frustrating because Sony has what could be a bona fide hit on its hands, but has done nothing to sell it to anyone outside of enthusiasts. And while I’d love for a passionate few like myself to see PSVR2 continue, it’s going to need a lot more attention if it’s to have a successful future. or any future.

Liam Croft, Assistant Editor – “Almost Dead in the Water”

I’ve already expressed my thoughts on the PSVR2 once, and as a layer of dust begins to settle on the headset’s packaging, I only feel more confident about what I said back in March: This thing is one step away from dying. Water I can’t remember the last time I plugged it in and played a PSVR2 game, and there really isn’t a single title that interests me. Had I not received the device for work purposes, I would have already traded the item.

The recent PlayStation Showcase really solidified this for me. A platform doesn’t live and die based on its first-party output — the Nintendo Wii is proof of that — but boy does it help get the enthusiast crowd on board, which we’re all a part of. Sony doesn’t have a single game from PlayStation Studios confirmed for PSVR2, and its only effort so far was Call of the Mountain. Headset sales around the release may be slightly better than expected, but I really have no idea how Sony expects to sustain them. Without any announced software from big developers, you’re relying on small studios and indies. They may not support the entire platform. Half-Life: Alix is never going to be ported to PSVR2, and if Sony can’t get any of its VR games into its biggest livestream of the year, that might tell us it doesn’t have any in development.

I really, really don’t understand what Sony was thinking with the PSVR2, because this thing is going absolutely nowhere.

Sammy Barker, editor – “largely successful so far”

I must admit, there is a part of me that thinks absolutely what People expected PSVR2: An avalanche of first-party software was never going to happen so soon – if at all – because it’s not the more practical pancake PS5 is either subject to back-to-back exclusive bangers. Sony has always relied heavily on making sure the most popular third-party and indie titles were available for its headset, and with the recent releases of Beat Saber and Walkabout Mini Golf, I’d argue that this has been largely successful in that regard.

The question — and it’s a valid one — is whether that’s enough to generate an audience for an admittedly expensive accessory. I definitely think it’s going to be a great challenge, but I can’t say I’m particularly disappointed with the experience so far; As my esteemed colleagues have already noted, the hardware is outstanding and the more straightforward setup makes me more likely to plug in than with previous headsets.

It’s the roadmap that worries me the most: I think PSVR2 can coast with the best of the multiformat releases, but it still needs some tentpole exclusive titles to really anchor itself. , and we’ve yet to see some sort of commitment on the scale of Astro Bot Survival and Blood and Truth, two releases that dominated the original PSVR.

Stephen Telby, Assistant Editor – “We need more sports”

To be completely honest, I burned myself out on PSVR2. Without getting into baseball, the sheer number of launch games meant I played a lot of virtual reality games in a short amount of time, and while I enjoyed them all, I have almost no drive to return to the PSVR2. . I haven’t played Horizon Call of the Mountain yet for this reason. That’s not to say I dislike PSVR2 or think it’s bad – quite the opposite – I’m just blown away by it. Basically, a game have I recently convinced myself to don a headset, and it’s the Beat Saber, which remains a real delight. I think, when the right games come along, I’ll happily play PSVR2, and remember that I enjoy virtual reality experiences so much.

Of course, that’s what it ultimately comes down to: games. I think most people would agree that the PSVR2 is technically very strong, and the PSVR2 Sense controllers are much better than the PS Move Wands, but it’s the software that keeps people coming back. Sony banked on a huge launch lineup with new titles and ports of old favorites, but I think some of them should have been spread out. We had a tidal wave in February, and since then it has been relatively calm water; Scattering some of these launch games throughout 2023 would give the PSVR2 a shorter launch time, but a better long-term push. New games are coming slow and steady, but there’s definitely a feeling among enthusiasts that the pace has slowed, and it’s hard to argue against that.

As for me, I definitely still see potential in the hardware, and, as with Beat Saber, all it takes is a great game to get me back in. We need more of these.

Well, we’ve had our say on the PSVR2 so far – but we’d also like to know your thoughts on Sony’s current-generation headset. Be sure to vote in our poll, and then explain yourself in the comments section below.