Sony yesterday held a private conference to brief developers about its upcoming VR headset for the PS5, revealing new details about the device.
PSVR Without Parole first reported on the conference, which we’ve independently verified took place yesterday. At the event, the company outlined specs and features for the new device — which has not yet been given an official name — which UploadVR previously revealed. That includes the resolution of 4000×2040 pixels (2000×2040 per eye) and eye-tracking support for foveated rendering.
New PS5 VR Details Reported
Other details from PSVR Without Parole’s video claim the device, codenamed NGVR (next-generation VR), uses an HDR OLED display and has a field of view (FOV) of 110 degrees, 10 more degrees than the original PSVR. Alongside foveated rendering, the new headset could also use a technique called flexible scaling resolution to further increase the performance of PSVR titles. The controllers, meanwhile, will reportedly feature capacitive touch sensors for the thumb, index and middle finger. These sensors will apparently be able to tell not just if a player is touching the controller but, if not, how far away from the controller their fingers are. We’ve seen a lot of patent filings and research reports that suggest future Sony controllers could support finger-tracking.
On the gaming front, Sony reportedly told developers it’s looking to secure AAA titles for the new headset. To that end, the company wants upcoming traditional PS5 titles played on a flatscreen to feature hybrid VR Support, much like current PSVR-optional games such as Hitman 3, Resident Evil 7 and No Man’s Sky. Players will apparently be able to choose between downloading the flatscreen or the VR version first when a game releases.
Backwards compatibility with old games for the original PSVR, meanwhile, was not confirmed. But we can expect many developers to remaster those older titles for the PS5 and new VR headset, much in the same way flatscreen PS4 titles are often upgraded and either resold or provided to existing owners on the new console.
The new headset won’t be releasing in 2021, and PSVR Without Parole says that launch details will be revealed early next year.
