You’ll need to supply some of your own immersion when PlayStation VR2 launches early next year.
An batch of hands-on preview coverage for Sony’s much-anticipated, PS5-powered virtual reality headset came out on Wednesday. While the new PSVR2 headset sounds like it’s got a lot going for it in terms of comfort, haptic feedback in the controllers (and headset), and lens quality, coverage from both UploadVR and IGN highlighted something potentially concerning: There are no built-in speakers.
That means you’ll either need to rely on your TV’s sound system, wired headphones (the headset has a 3.5mm audio jack), or Sony’s $100 Pulse 3D wireless headset. We’ve reached out to Sony to ask why this is the case and if the company has a recommended solution, and will update this article with a response.
This is a little disappointing for a couple of reasons. While it’s true that the original PSVR headset also didn’t have built-in audio output, one could reasonably expect that the successor launching more than six years later might bring that advancement. After all, a weaker standalone VR headset like the Meta Quest 2 has built-in audio, so why shouldn’t PSVR2?
Of course, the biggest point of concern here is comfort — both UploadVR and IGN mentioned that wearing headphones at the same time as the PSVR2 headset was cumbersome.
Value is another problem, as a good pair of headphones will be a hidden cost on top of whatever PSVR2’s price tag ends up being. The PSVR2 page on the PlayStation website even lists 3D audio courtesy of Sony’s Tempest Engine as a major feature of the headset, but you won’t be able to take advantage of that without the right headphones.
For what it’s worth, I own the first-party Pulse headset and regularly use it while playing PS5 games. I find it very comfortable and the 3D audio effects in games like Returnal are pretty awesome. So if you have $100 lying around, it’s not the worst thing in the world to buy. But the fact that you may need a separate product to get the most out of PSVR2 is problematic.
Naturally, we’ll have to wait and see if this truly ends up becoming a problem once PSVR2 launches next year. Hopefully there are simple, convenient ways to hear those iconic Star Wars tunes and blaster noises in the PSVR2 version of Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge.
