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PlayStation confirmed that those who owned the original PlayStation VR are out of luck when it comes to upgrading to the new VR headset. PS VR2 is not compatible with PS VR games. This can be a barrier for those hoping for a smooth transition.
In a recent episode of the official PlayStation podcastHideaki Nishino spoke about the development of PS VR2 and confirmed that older games will not be playable on the new headset. According to Nishino, this is due to the more advanced features in the new headset, including eye tracking, haptic feedback and 3D audio. “This means that developing games for PSVR2 requires a very different approach than the original PSVR.”
PS VR2 is slated to launch sometime early next year. Sony’s Jim Ryan claims it will have 20 major games at launch. But it’ll miss out on some of the classics from the previous library, and at this point there’s no indication Sony plans to find a way to bridge the gap. Company sold 5 million units from the original headset as of the latest report, which means that many users cannot bring their games to the new generation.
A consolation for PSVR owners is that Sony is offering it a free adapter making the PS4 camera work on the PS5. This means that even users with upgraded consoles can still use their old headsets on a new console. However, your mileage may vary depending on how well that serves when upcoming VR games launch only on the new headsets.
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