Sony’s upcoming VR system for the Playstation 5 is simply called “Playstation VR2”. At the CES, Sony also unveiled the unsurprising name and a first game for the VR headset: “Horizon: Call of the Mountain” is a VR offshoot of “Horizon: Zero Dawn” and the upcoming “Horizon: Forbidden West”.
Games for PSVR2 should not be developed exclusively for virtual reality, Sony had wanted last summer. Instead, Sony wanted optional VR modes for traditional video games in discussions with development studios. “Call of the Mountain” will obviously not be playable without a VR headset.
As a popular Sony own brand, “Horizon” is a good workhorse for the upcoming VR system from the Playstation manufacturer, especially since the “Forbidden West” planned for February should increase awareness of the “Horizon” setting again. In the “Horizon” games you trudge through an unusually attractive post-apocalyptic world that has been adopted by nature and robot dinosaurs.
All in the same boat
In a short teaser video, Sony shows what it could look like in VR: In contrast to the other “Horizon” games, a short gameplay section is played from a first-person perspective. The excerpt from the upcoming VR game is also extremely linear, with the main character sitting in a boat. Too much movement in VR worlds threatens simulator sickness, which is why so-called “rail shooters”, in which movement happens automatically, are quite popular on VR systems. It remains to be seen whether “Call of the Mountain” will also follow this pattern.
Firesprite supports “Horizon” studio Guerilla Games in the development. The British studio has worked closely with Sony over the past few years, mainly helping other studios or taking on porting tasks. Firesprite’s portfolio also includes “The Playroom VR” as well as the VR horror shooter “The Persistence” and the military training game “Air Force Special Ops: Nightfall” – also a VR title. When Sony bought the studio last September, there were already many indications that VR development should be increased with it.
4K HDR
The headset itself was announced last February. In its blog entry, Sony now names some technical details that had leaked out from time to time. According to Sony, PSVR 2 supports 4K HDR, has a FoV of 110 degrees and can display refresh rates of up to 120 Hertz.
The new controllers are located using inside-out tracking, and cameras are built into the headset itself. In addition, the upcoming Sony headset should be able to understand the eye movements of the wearer. What Sony’s Playstation VR2 looks like and how much it will cost is open. Sony does not name a release date either.
Sony launched Playstation VR (PSVR) in 2016 for its Playstation 4 console. This VR system has now sold more than five million times. It can also be used with the Playstation 5, which was released at the end of 2020 – but not with the PS5 camera, but only with the older models. Upon request, Sony will send the required adapter free of charge.
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