PS5 will get new PSVR headset at launch, according to one VR publisher

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last updated 25 September 2020

We've known for a while now the PlayStation VR headset will be compatible with the PS5. The PSVR, while not a monster hit on release, has certainly grown into itself as the VR genre has expanded, with an estimated five million users according to a Sony press release earlier this month.

However, while PlayStation lead Mark Cerny confirmed existing PSVR headsets will work on the console, we're hearing from another quarter that Sony is already planning to update the headset, or release a brand new one, specifically for the PS5.

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VR Education, a company behind immersive virtual reality "experiences" like Apollo 11 VR and Titanic VR, has released an investor report to inform its shareholders on the company's progress. In that report is the folowing quote:

"2020 will see Sony release the PlayStation 5 and a new version of the PlayStation VR headset (PSVR), which will further expand the high-end VR user base; the Group intends to support this device with its current suite of showcase software."

There's a few key distinctions to make here. The first, and most obvious point is that a new PSVR headset has been confirmed by an existing VR content producer, and it's confirmed to be coming this year. Although Cerny confirmed that existing PSVR technology will still be PS5 compatible, a new headset means one of two things: an update that doesn't drastically deviate from the current PSVR generation, or a major overhaul, which we could call the PSVR 2.

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There's a few key distinctions to make here. The first, and most obvious point is a new PSVR headset has been confirmed by an existing VR content producer, and it's confirmed to be coming this year. We've heard rumours of a powerful new wireless headset before, and this could be it.

Although Cerny confirmed that existing PSVR technology will still be PS5 compatible, a new headset means one of two things: an update that doesn't drastically deviate from the current PSVR generation, or a major overhaul, which we could call the PSVR 2.

It's more likely we'll see the former. VR Education claims to support the device with "its current suite of software" demonstrating there's no great leap between the new device and the current-gen model. The tweaks to the formula must be to take into account the PS5's capabilities, so future developers can make games in 4K or 8K for the headset, while older content can still be supported.

There's another key point to make here that everyone seems to be missing: if PSVR software is supported, and existing PSVR games are in hard disc format, does that confirm the console will have PS4 (and maybe PS3) backwards compatibility? With the PS5 reveal mere weeks away, time will tell.

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Matt Evans now works for T3.com sister brand TechRadar, covering all things relating to fitness and wellness. He came to T3.com as staff writer before moving on, and was previously on Men's Health, and slightly counterintuitively, a website devoted to the consumption of Scotch whiskey. In his free time, he could often be found with his nose in a book until he discovered the Kindle.