Sony confirmed today that its latest VR headset, PSVR 2, will see a release date in 2023. The company’s brief announcement didn’t include a price for PlayStation VR 2, one of the last pieces of key info that’s still unknown.

Sony today shared one of the last but most important pieces of info regarding PlayStation VR 2… its launch window. The company confirmed today on Instagram (of all places) that the headset’s release date will come in early 2023, but shared absolutely no other info about the headset’s launch.

 

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Granted, we know almost everything there is to know about PSVR 2 by this point, except for its price.

The early 2023 launch window (presumably Q1) is a curious move by Sony. The company has only ever launched major PlayStation hardware in Q3 or Q4, dating all the way back to the original PS1, and including the first PSVR headset.

Our best guess for the move is that Sony is expecting the ongoing global supply chain and inflation issues to cause chaos in the electronics market this holiday, and it doesn’t want to battle other consumer electronics makers on price. It’s even possible that the company wasn’t able to secure the components it needed for a Q4 2022 launch, forcing it to delay to Q1 2023.

In any case, we finally have an idea of when PlayStation VR 2 will launch… and it will be more than six years since the original headset’s release.

Sony is promising that PSVR 2 will offer an innovative VR experience with many features not currently found in other consumer headsets, like eye-tracking, HDR, head-haptics, and advanced trigger haptics. Check out our breakdown of PlayStation VR 2 specs to learn everything we know about the headset and how it compares to the original PSVR.

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Ben Lang
Ben is the world's most senior professional analyst solely dedicated to the XR industry, having founded Road to VR in 2011—a year before the Oculus Kickstarter sparked a resurgence that led to the modern XR landscape. He has authored more than 3,000 articles chronicling the evolution of the XR industry over more than a decade. With that unique perspective, Ben has been consistently recognized as one of the most influential voices in XR, giving keynotes and joining panel and podcast discussions at key industry events. He is a self-described "journalist and analyst, not evangelist."
  • Tommy

    I’m good with Q1 2023. Let them get a bunch of PS5s in people’s hands and then introduce the VR. Now make it $399 and send me a pre-order notification

    • peter vasseur

      Pre order direct thank you very much!

  • Till Eulenspiegel

    The Apple VR is ‘unofficially’ expected to launch in early 2023 as well. Maybe Meta will do the same and they can have a threesome.

    • gothicvillas

      lmao

    • peter vasseur

      Fine with me, will hopefully make it easier to get one then. I’ll be camping if I have to for preorder.

  • It was to be expected because of the delays in the supply chain. Also some analysts suggested early 2023

  • ViRGiN

    Even wired VR will be better than any-PCVR. Can’t wait.

    • Seb Piotrovsky

      Hmm, still haven’t got laid for the first time in your life…? :) Do yourself and everybody here a favour – get laid (even for money if you are not able to do it for free – it’s better than nothing :) ) and then let us know about this breakthrough by changing your nick and pathetic attitude :) Good luck!

      • ViRGiN

        do yourself a favor, and jerk off before posting horny comments. you are clowning yourself.
        also, STOP GETTING TRIGGERED

  • Seb Piotrovsky

    Exactly my first and actually only thought after reading the article. I suppose they will add some wireless solution during the aprox 5 year life cycle of the unit but anyway to me it’s almost pathetic.

    • ViRGiN

      Hmm, still haven’t got laid for the first time in your life…? :) Do yourself and everybody here a favour – get laid (even for money if you are not able to do it for free – it’s better than nothing :) ) and then let us know about this breakthrough by changing your nick and pathetic attitude :) Good luck!

  • ApocalypseShadow

    It’s fine as long as they have a great selection of games to choose from at launch and a good headset price. If it launches with all its features intact and working, it’s going to take over the conversation.

    The funny thing is the reaction of some gamers about a wire. Same individuals that stand in one spot playing a music game hitting blocks. From a company that advertises their games in commercials with players standing in one spot. With YouTube influencers doing let’s plays as they stand in one spot. I just saw a new game advertised at Gamescom for that stand alone called Everslaught Invasion. And sure enough, the players in the trailer are standing in one spot. But hey. Wireless. It’s so freeing that players stand in one spot. Which is no different than standing in one spot with a wire attached.

    Actually, there will be a difference. In high quality 3D sound, graphics detail and haptics. All being fed by PS5. But hey. A wire. Some are going to learn the hard way what that wire is going to do for high end VR.

    • Tommy

      This is very true. I imagine some people just go all out in VR but the majority of games don’t require much movement. There are some exceptions but nothing I’ve really noticed on my Quest 2

      • ApocalypseShadow

        I was telling this guy named Andrew that Facebook never made any of the demoed multiplayer games they showed in the beginning. Gamers moving around an area shooting and ducking and dodging. You know and I know that analog sticks bring the VR world to you. You don’t have to move from a given spot. Sure, you can dodge and turn left and right or turn around. But movement from one spot isn’t necessary. It’s also a given that Facebook doesn’t want any lawsuits of gamers walking and tripping over furniture killing themselves. So, we never see any games that push the need of wireless. Even though a few have used warehouse and football fields to play wirelessly. Most will never do that

        But these individuals will downplay a wire when the positives definitely outweigh the negatives of a wire. Sure. It’s a good feeling of not being tethered. But I’d take better quality any day with a wire. Ask these same individuals if an Ethernet cord is better than wireless for gaming. They know the answer.

        • peter vasseur

          I’m buying a treadmill when this thing is launched. That will make single
          Player games super immersive. Re8 creeping through the town and mansion. Oh yeah!

        • Andrew Jakobs

          Again, please get your head out of your ass if you really think wireless is useless, even whith games like beatsaber or something. And you really are completely out of the ballpark if you compare ethernet/wifi to wired/wireless VR..
          I’ve used the f-ing cable and it always annoyed me as I kept feeling it jerking at times, even with wiki pulleys.
          So yeah wireless VR is better then wired, and for network, wired is better as wireless (although with the newer wifi standards and a good router, wireless can beat wired).

          • Tommy

            I think we’re talking about two different wireless here. If it’s wired vs wireless adapter, built in or add on, I would take wireless all day. If it’s wired vs wireless standalone, it prefer the wired. We may be confusing the language.

          • Andrew Jakobs

            But ApocalypseShadow isn’t. But that’s the beauty of headsets like the Quest, you can use them wireless with a PC or wireless standalone. There are many games that are great on the wireless standalone. Comparing PSVR2+PS5 to a pure standalone headset us like comparing apples and oranges.

          • ApocalypseShadow

            Quit embarrassing yourself. You talk about me defending. Lol. Look at you. Just answer the question dummy. With your wireless headset, do you play all your games room scale or do you stand in one spot? Are you playing your games in one spot? It’s pretty simple to answer. If you got any YouTube videos of you playing, I want to see it/them. Post a link.

            I know you stand in one spot. But you’ll act like you don’t. Continue embarrassing yourself. It won’t change the facts. But you want to have a problem with a wire. As you stand in place playing beat saber as if you’re still tethered.

          • Andrew Jakobs

            Again, wireless isn’t only nice for roomscale, but even for standing on one spot, and with spot I mean a snall area of less than 2m x 2m.

            You’re the one embarrassing himself as I have actual prolonged gaming experience with and without cable, and for ANY situation wireless beats wired in comfort, even with games like beatsaber.

          • ApocalypseShadow

            Lol. Prolonged experience. I’ve played games since they began. Pinball, Pong, commodore, Texas instruments, red led portable electronics, consoles, PCs, portable game consoles, wired, wireless, Bluetooth, motion gaming etc. You have nothing on me.

            As I said above in a comment, I’m aware how being untethered can feel. But you’re playing in one spot. It’s no different than a tether. I’ve played with wireless controllers and wired. It doesn’t bother me. I’ve played with a wireless VR headset. You still have to sit close to a TV to see when wireless unless you have this huge TV on a wall. You’ll still face in mostly one direction and stand in one spot in VR.

            I could list every benefit that that USB C wire will do for PS VR 2. You’ll excuse it because of a wire. Who’s the limited and narrow minded gamer now?

          • Andrew Jakobs

            Funny, as I too have played games for a long long time.
            And you keep blabbing that staying in one spot doesn’t make a difference if you’re wired or not, but I’m telling you it does, especiallt since you don’t actually stay at one spot, you do move side to side and up and down, and the cable does restrict you. The only setup I’ll give you wired doesn’t really matter is when sitting down playing a flight-/drivingsim.
            And what are you blabbing about when wireless you have to stay close to the TV?

    • CURTROCK

      The issue with the cable is that it impacts immersion. The weight of the cable on your head is felt every time you turn your head, even in a stationary/standing game. PSVR 2 is going to be awesome, but the cable def DOES suck. I suspect there will be a wireless add-on unit offered by Sony in the near future.

      • ApocalypseShadow

        And you’ve experienced PS VR 2 and its wire to come to that conclusion? Can I borrow your demo unit? A USB C cord isn’t heavy. And all the things that were attached to PSVR is not there on this one.

        Yes. I too suspect they will in the future as the cable detaches and the console has a WiFi capability. A hardware company like Sony would know how to build it.

        Thing is, Sony doesn’t have to worry about gamers experiencing anything other than the best sound, graphics and haptics. It’s plug and play. None of the nonsense we see when Quest is running wireless with PC. Less quality, not an easy setup for newbies, etc. It’s high quality for every gamer on console.

        It’s still doesn’t change the fact that these same complainers play games wirelessly but stand in one spot. Where’s that wireless benefit?

        • Andrew Jakobs

          Well, have YOU tried the PSVR2? As you keep blabbing as if you already know exactly how ‘awesome’ the PSVR2 will be compared to already available headsets.
          You really don’t seem to have experienced wireless VR if you keep blabbing that wireless is useless even on one spot. Only setting I will agree on that is fixed driving/flightsimulator where you already sit in a fixed chair.

          • ApocalypseShadow

            I guess you can’t read.

            That’s why I asked to borrow HIS headset since he already knows that it’s heavy. Try to keep up. You’re already slipping behind. Tell you what, go pick up a USB C cable and tell me if it’s heavy. You know it won’t be. But do it anyway just for giggles. You know I’m right. That’s all that plugs in for the new one.

            You keep blabbing as well as if you know it won’t be better than most headsets. The specs of the original were exactly as Sony said it would be. There’s no need for them to lie to consumers and tell them the next one has features that won’t be there. It’s already finalized.

            What I do know is that it will be better than that smart phone you stick to your face that you love to protect. The games are going to make stand alone look embarrassing. But you’ll be one of those begging for games to come to PC because your headset is already obsolete. That’s why your hopes is on Cambria. But besides chatting, face tracking barely has any benefit. That’s casual nonsense. Nothing for real gaming. But go ahead and enjoy it. I can clearly tell you’re casual gamer.

          • Andrew Jakobs

            I do know what it’s like to have an USB-C cable connected to my headset as I have a HTC Vive Pro with wireless module, and the cable from the module to the battery is USB-C and it’s still annoying as hell.

            My god you really are close/single minded, but ok, her I’ll go just like you do:
            “Pff the PSVR2 will lack behind a decent PCVR headset as the PS5 isn’t capable of delivering the graphics a RTX4090 can….. So your PSVR2 is already antiquated when it arrives and even with an annoying cable.”

          • ApocalypseShadow

            Quest is 2 years old. You can’t deny it. But keep trying. Go became obsolete. Quest became obsolete. Quest 2 already showing age which is why Zuck is releasing another. That many headsets in the same time frame as **one** PSVR. And the latest still can’t play Skyrim or Hitman 3 in the years that have past without additional hardware. That’s ummm… Just like a cellphone. One PS VR 2 is enough to last the entire PS5 generation. Will be possible to use on PS6 as it would easily use the power of the next system with eye tracking and foveated rendering. You’re only hope is low latency cloud streaming for these headsets that become obsolete so quickly.

            So funny though. As I said, when your headset fails to keep up, you guys run to PC as a defense. I’m aware of Quests tech. I’m not a hater of wireless. You just haven’t proven wireless has given you any benefit standing in place.

          • Andrew Jakobs

            PSVR2 is nothing without additional hardware. So even though the Quest 2 is already 2 years old, it still runs games without the need for any extra hardware. Yeah, the Quest 2 is getting old, and the Quest Pro isn’t actually replacing the Quest 2, that’ll be the Quest 3 by the end of next year. And it’s actually streaming which doesn’t render the Quest 2 obsolete as you can use it with a better PC and have better graphics, EXACTLY as you mention for the PSVR2.

            And as I already said, wireless does give much benefit even playing standing games, maybe YOU aren’t bothered by the cable, but many people are, it’s also one of the biggest complaints by many.

      • sfmike

        But that little inconvenience is giving you exceptional graphics and speed while, as stated above, you stand in basically in one place so the tradeoff is worth it.

    • Ads and Youtube aren’t really a good metric for that. They have a vested interest in maintaining a nicely framed shot for those watching the video.

      Personally I like to physically turn instead of using artificial options if I can. Games like Compound or Fallout that have you turning any which way, it’s not great with a cable.

      I do think Sony made good tradeoffs here to hit the right price/performance though, and it’s a massive improvement over PSVR1.

      • ApocalypseShadow

        And I can understand that when turning. Now that Sony will have 360 movement, there’s a chance of a cable getting stepped on or twirled by some.

        When I play PSVR, the cord is on the floor between my legs. I’ve never stepped on it in 6 years. It’s like gas pedals, brakes and clutches. They’re there next to my feet and become second nature. I’m subconsciously aware at the same time playing my game. If it seems I’m close to them, I know to step over it. Even playing Iron Man, it wasn’t an issue.

        But we’ll see how it plays out. It’s still interesting that everything will be turned up from sound, graphics and haptics, and some say “no way.” When those other games get announced, some of these naysayers will be singing a different toon. They’ll never admit it openly. But they’ll know themselves that they gave in to a wire because the next gen jump in quality will compel them to compromise. They just don’t know it yet.

        • Yeah you’re probably right about that and with Cambria trying to target a much higher price point, PSVR 2 might be our only sub 1k, next gen option for a while.

    • Andrew Jakobs

      Yes, even standing in one spot it’s better to be wireless, as you still feel the cable pulling, at least that’s my experience with the Vive Pro, even using kiwi pulleys (which is a must have when using cable).
      And the wireless module of the vive, and the wireless mode of the quest / neo3 prove that wireless high end is possible.

  • FrankB

    Wireless compared to wired is suboptimal, the necessary set up to get it working seamlessly is acceptable for a PC VR tinkerer but is not ideal for a mass market consumer item. It needs to be easy and flawless.

    • Wireless doesn’t necessarily mean it has to be complicated. Think about pairing a new controller to your PlayStation, tell PS you want to connect a controller, and then hold down a sync button on the device. It could practically work the same way with VR, but I also believe all of the underlying tech is still a little too unrefined and expensive to make it into this headset.

      • peter vasseur

        It’s coming, I will take a wire over wireless with a lack of features and power. Rather have better optics and haptics and graphic power than wireless. But that will come when the tech is more
        Mature and able to handle the bandwidth needed. It’s getting there.

        • Charles

          Foveated rendering should make wireless a reasonable option for high-end VR.

        • XRC

          Wigig 2 (802.11ay) module will accommodate higher resolution headsets with bandwidth (20–40 Gbit/s) but cost of Intel chipset could be prohibitive for consumer market

          • peter vasseur

            Exactly which is why it will take time. Eventually the cost will drop to a commercially viable price.

  • sfmike

    Damn, I was really hoping to get this before Christmas. https://media2.giphy.com/media/pVAMI8QYM42n6/giphy.gif