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NEWS: Sony Unveils Designs of PlayStation VR2 Headset, VR2 Sense Controllers for PS5

Really curious to see the price. The specs suggest it's not only an improvement over PSVR, but over other VR in general, which makes me think it will be pricey. On the other hand, if it's expensive enough that it treads into console prices, it's hard to want to get something like that, since its reliance on the PS5 will mean many will see it as a peripheral more than a system.

Some VR developers might skip the PSVR 2. Wireless games are vastly outselling wired games even with better graphics.

Committing resources to convert mobile VR games running on Snapdragon to wired PS5 hardware, for a smaller population of customers, competing against big-name gaming franchises and Sony exclusives, seems risky. Sony may have to rely again on the hybrid VR game approach with key Sony IPs. So, as with the original PSVR, it'll depend more on "regular" games converted to VR (ex: Resident Evil VR, Skyrim VR) rather than games designed for VR from the outset

In recent years, Meta/Facebook has bought up the most promising VR developers that struck gold on its platform. It's purchased Beat Games (Beat Saber), BigBox VR (Population: One), Downpour Interactive (Onward), Sanzaru Games (Asgard's Wrath), and Ready at Dawn (Lone Echo). It has also signed non-exclusive deals with other developers to bring VR games to its platform, including Vertigo Games (Arizona Sunshine).

Looking over the various Playstation Studios acquisitions, two jumps out: Insomniac Games and Firesprite. Insomniac is most famous for the new Spider-Man games but also made several VR hits like Stormland, while Firesprite made The Playroom VR and The Persistence.

Generally speaking, Sony's acquisitions are less specialized, with larger gaming teams that make both VR and non-VR games. Oculus acquired smaller teams that achieved disproportionate success, likely at lower acquisition costs. But Sony can also use these studios to create games that all PS5 owners can play, but that also work better in VR.

Gamers are obsessed with buying consoles with exclusives. Meta knows that and has partnered with or bought devs to get plenty of Quest-only titles. So devs know that if they strike gold, Meta might buy them out or give them more resources to succeed.

So Sony might do well to acquire or partner with more indie developers of its own in the next year or so, to signal to developers that it is willing to play ball as much as Meta is. Or, it could stick to what it knows best, and convince major publishers to put out VR versions of popular franchises, such as Hitman 3 VR. Time will tell if big-name hybrid releases or cheaper grassroots games drive more heads into headsets.

Ultimately, Sony's success or failure will come down to price. Oculus dropped a gauntlet on the rest of the industry with its $300 device, and if the PSVR 2 costs double that — not including the PS5 itself — it'll "succeed" with affluent gamers but may stay as a niche product that's a secondary priority for VR developers, compared to the underpowered, wire-free Quest.

Yeah, price would be a big thing. The wireless Oculus Quest 2 doesn't need anything extra to play, thus making it a great gift since ya don't need to know what the receiver owns (but connecting to a PC is still an option for extra power), costing $299 and $399, and in just about a year already surpassed 5 years worth of PSVR sales