Sony Group Corp. announced an exclusive game for its next-generation virtual reality headset, PSVR 2, charging up the platform's appeal just as metaverse hype intensifies.
The entertainment and electronics giant unveiled a teaser video for the title, from the hit in-house franchise Horizon, while unveiling PlayStation VR 2 with an upgraded headset and VR 2 Sense controllers. The new hardware targets ever greater immersion and could prove one of the popular gateways into metaverse offerings from Epic Games Inc., as well as increased visual fidelity, head and eye tracking and vibration feedback built into the headset.
In a blog post, Jan-Bart van Beek said that the game has been designed to push hardware technology, innovation, and gameplay, and that Horizon Call of the Mountain will be one of the first to be developed by Sony-owned Guerilla Games. The developers say it will expand the fantasy universe with a new environment and playable character because of the success of the action role-playing title Horizon Zero Dawn.
Sony s next-generation wired gaming goggles, which plug into the PlayStation 5 home console, will feature OLED panels with increased resolution from the first generation and a maximum refresh rate of 120 Hz. The company didn't elaborate on the headset's pricing and release date.
The original PlayStation VR headset was released in 2016 as a PlayStation 4 peripheral and went on to become one of the best selling products in its category. Sony is gearing up for the incoming successor to be a bigger success. There is an interest in metaverse concepts that expand to immersive experiences beyond games.
Sony's release of the new product may be challenged by chronic chip shortages and supply-chain disruptions that have pushed electronics companies and automakers to delay or reduce production plans several times over the past year. The delivery times for chips increased to more than 25 weeks in December, the longest wait time since tracking began in 2017.