PS VR2 is coming to PS5 with Horizon Call of the Mountain as an exclusive
The PlayStation 4 brought virtual reality (VR) to consoles for the first time and fans have been wondering exactly what Sony has in store for the PS5. The PS5 has been on the market for over a year now and it was way back in March of 2021 that Sony took the wraps off the new PS5 VR controllers. Sony is calling its next-generation system, the somewhat unimaginatively titled, PS VR2, while the previously controllers have also been officially named and are henceforth known as the PS VR2 Sense.
Unfortunately, Sony hasn't yet revealed what the PS VR2 headset will look like yet, or when indeed we will actually see the PS VR2 ecosystem hit the market. However, it has revealed some of the key specifications and impressive features we can expect along with a reveal of the first PS VR2 exclusive title, Horizon Call of the Mountain from Guerilla and Firesprite.
4K HDR VR visuals and deep immersion features
When it eventually launches, (our guess is Holiday 2022), the PS VR2 system will use an OLED display with a resolution of 2000 x 2040 per eye to deliver 4K HDR visuals at frame rates of 90 Hz or 120 Hz with a 110-degree field of view. Sony has been able to achieve these resolutions on its headset by using the foveated rendering method which uses eye tracking to reduce the rendering workload at the periphery of vision.
Not only is Sony's new headset going to use eye tracking inside the headset, it will also have cameras mounted outside the headset to track the movement of both the user and their controllers so that movement and the direction of sight is reflected within the game. To complete a thoroughly immersive experience, Sony's combination of eye tracking, headset haptic feedback, and PS VR2 Sense controller input will be combined with its Tempest 3D audio tech, currently only available through Sony's PS5 Pulse 3D headset.
Horizon Call of the Mountain
Sony also took the opportunity to announce Horizon Call of the Mountain, which will offer fans of the Horizon series, exclusive to Sony, an even more immersive gaming experience. Guerilla Studios is partnering with Firesprite Studios to bring this next chapter of the Horizon world to life. Firesprite is a UK developer that specializes in creating VR games and was recently acquired by Sony for the express purpose of developing VR content exclusively for the PS VR2 platform.
While the initial launch trailer has been revealed, it doesn't reveal a tremendous amount about what to expect. However, Guerilla Studios Director Jan-Bart Van Beek has made it clear that it will be working hard to ensure that Horizon Call of the Mountain takes full advantage of all the technologies on offer through Sony's PS VR2 platform. With the official announcement of the new platform, we are also expecting other gaming studios to start announcing their own titles for PS VR2 over the coming weeks and months