A new patent may have just revealed what kind of controller we can expect with the PSVR 2. Dug up by GamesIndustry.biz, it gives us our first look at the kind of tech that might feature in Sony’s next-gen VR headset.
This time it looks like we’ll be seeing something new and innovative, rather than a repeat of the tired-old PS Move controllers.
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Patents don’t always make it into production, but Sony has confirmed that the PSVR 2 is still quite a way off. So there’s still time for some of this controller’s features to wind up in an actual controller you can buy.
Then again this patent also includes wilder ideas, like using bananas as controllers, so who knows what the future might bring.
But gone is the laughable light-up ball from the PS Move, instead replaced by an LED panel. Presumably, this is for tracking the controller, but it’s unclear why Sony would utilize such old-school tech.
Especially since rival VR companies like Oculus and Valve have been using invisible tracking systems that always felt much more refined than what Sony was doing.
The most important feature here is one Sony has pulled in from the PS5’s DualSense controller: the adaptive triggers. Those triggers can have been built to offer resistance and extra haptic feedback when you press them, boosting the immersion of compatible games. It’s a feature that feels like it was built for VR in mind, and it’s bound to make your virtual adventures feel that bit more realistic.
The triggers are joined by sensors for your thumb and three fingers, suggesting finger tracking is on the cards. Considering the PS Move controllers were shockingly limited, even by 2016 standards, finger tracking could open up whole new avenues of play for VR on consoles. The clincher is those sensors may also be combined with more haptic feedback, which could let players feel like their hands are actually interacting with virtual objects.
Plus, as you can see in the image, there are hand straps that will make sure you don’t accidentally drop the controllers when you’re doing all of this.
So far Sony has confirmed that the PSVR 2 will have a single wire that runs between the headset and the console, and that the controller will feature some of the same technology as the DualSense controller. So that likely means at least one component of this patent will make it into the final model.
Let’s just hope that the PSVR 2 is a massive upgrade from the original PSVR headset. The new system definitely isn’t arriving this year, so we’re looking at at least a six-year gap between the PSVR 2 and its predecessor. Possibly even longer.
The PS4 and PS5 had a similar gap between their respective launches, and look how much changed in that time. We can only hope Sony has been hard at work making sure the PSVR 2 is the absolute best it can be. But if this controller patent is anything to go by, we definitely shouldn’t worry about it.
But of course, you will need a Sony's latest games console to play the PSVR 2, and if you don't have one yet be sure to check out our guide on where to buy the PS5.
