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The PlayStation 5 is getting a new VR headset, Sony confirms

Sony reveals the first details: new controllers, easier setup... and it won't be arriving in 2021.

Scott Stein Editor at Large
I started with CNET reviewing laptops in 2009. Now I explore wearable tech, VR/AR, tablets, gaming and future/emerging trends in our changing world. Other obsessions include magic, immersive theater, puzzles, board games, cooking, improv and the New York Jets. My background includes an MFA in theater which I apply to thinking about immersive experiences of the future.
Expertise VR and AR, gaming, metaverse technologies, wearable tech, tablets Credentials
  • Nearly 20 years writing about tech, and over a decade reviewing wearable tech, VR, and AR products and apps
Scott Stein
2 min read
ps5-psvr

The PlayStation VR (original model seen here) will be getting an upgrade to go with the PS5, Sony reveals.

Scott Stein/CNET

The PlayStation 5 will be getting a new VR headset to make the most of its high-end graphics and VR games. But it won't be coming this year.

Sony announced via a blog post Tuesday that a new VR headset is indeed on its way, and revealed some of the first details about it. Expect a far easier setup than the bulky and cable-ridden PSVR that's currently on sale. The headset should have its own self-contained tracking system, much like the Oculus Quest and more recent VR headsets, possibly meaning that the PlayStation Camera is unnecessary.

There will be new controllers. Sony promises controllers that will adopt parts of the DualSense controller's technology: Most likely, the DualSense's advanced vibrating haptics, which can feel incredibly realistic. The DualSense also has unique force feedback on its triggers, which could be applied to VR inputs in some fascinating ways. The existing PlayStation VR still relies on either the DualShock 4 controller, or PlayStation Move wands that are extremely long in the tooth.

The new headset will have increased display resolution, too. The current PSVR uses a single 1080p display for its VR input, while more recent headsets like Oculus Quest 2 have a far crisper resolution.

In an interview with GQ Tuesday, PlayStation CEO Jim Ryan says that developer kits for the next-gen PSVR headsets are "about to go out," adding the headset will be a "completely new VR format for PS5."

Dominic Mallinson, Sony's head of PlayStation R&D, told CNET about ideas for a next-generation PlayStation VR headset back in 2019. Some of those discussed possibilities look like they'll be happening, possibly by next year.

Read moreThe best PSVR games to try on a PS5

Watch this: PS5 review: Full breakdown of all the new features