We already knew that a new PlayStation VR kit was on the way, but if this filing patent is anything to go by, this might be our first glimpse of the new system.
As spotted by Spanish-language site DistritoXR, Sony seemingly filed a new hardware patent which was published publicly on October 21, 2021. Originally filed by Sony Japan – the inventors are listed as Takaaki Yoshida, Hideki Takahashi, and Teppei Takahashi – the patent is for a "head-mounted display" and the accompanying image sure does look like a VR headset.
While we don't get to see much else about the kit or how it'll work – I, for one, am hoping for a wireless system this time around – you can see the first page of the patent below:
Looks like we have our first look at the design of PSVR2. Sony filed this patent on October 21st.https://t.co/fs2zIhFoGN #PS5 pic.twitter.com/Y6CemAwV1sOctober 30, 2021
It's important to note that trademark patents are filed all the time, and not all come to fruition, of course. But it's certainly an interesting development given Sony has been playing its VR cards close to its chest so far.
Analysis: what are the differences between PSVR and PSVR 2?
Sony has officially confirmed that PSVR 2 is on the way. This latest-gen VR headset will work exclusively with the PS5 and be the successor to the original PlayStation VR, which was launched all the way back in 2016.
In a post on the PlayStation Blog earlier this year, Sony confirmed that its new PSVR system is in development, reaffirming the brand’s commitment to VR. There’s no official release date yet for the PSVR 2, either, but Sony has definitively ruled out a 2021 release, so we suspect it might launch sometime in 2022, possibly around the festive season.
Other than that, though, there's not much else to go on, although we do know that PSVR 2's controllers will be getting a significant performance and design upgrade. It's thought the new controllers will look more like VR controllers we've seen elsewhere – such as like Oculus Quest 2's Touch controllers – than the classic PS Move ones.
The latest PSVR 2 rumors suggest that Sony's new headset will be backward compatible, which would be a huge boon for the device if true.
For more, check out our guide on everything we know so far about PlayStation VR 2, including potential release dates, the new games we’re looking forward to playing, the features to expect, and much more.
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