A new feature called ‘Game Boost’ listed on the PlayStation 5 website promises an improved experience when playing select PS4 and PSVR games on PS5.
The feature has popped up on the main PlayStation 5 landing page, towards the bottom. The site says that Game Boost will let you “enjoy faster and smoother frame rates in select PS4 and PS VR games” on PS5.
That’s great news for PSVR users who want to carry their library over to the next-generation — not only is the hardware compatible, but games should run a lot smoother, perhaps even faster, than on PS4 consoles. It’s worth noting that the text does say ‘select’ titles and doesn’t guarantee 100% compatibility across all games just yet though.
Playing PSVR games on the PS5 should hopefully also improve loading times, given the console’s new SSD that boasts little-to-no loading times on next-generation games. Titles like Iron Man VR, which were notoriously slow to load on PS4, will hopefully boot up much faster when played on a PS5.
There’s also a new paragraph in the same section about PSVR integration — there’s no strictly new info here, but just confirmation once again that “supported” PSVR titles will work on the PS5. It reiterates that your existing PSVR headset will be compatible, alongside the PS4-era PlayStation Camera and a new adapter, which will be provided for free. Sony says details on how to claim an adapter “will be shared on PlayStation.com when available.” There’s still no word on whether the newer PlayStation Camera, sold separately for PS5, will work with PSVR hardware.
One of the core mechanics of the modern Hitman series is the ability to ‘blend in’ while using a disguise. This will see Agent 47 automatically perform a task associated with the disguise, hiding him from enforcers that might recognize him. If you’re disguised as a chef, for example, blending in might involve Agent 47 chopping up some vegetables at a work bench.
IO Interactive announced that on PSVR you’ll have to actually perform the blending in tasks if you want to avoid detection, as you can see above. While it probably won’t be an overly deep mechanic, it does add an extra layer of difficulty to the stealth component of the game. Normally, the automatic blend in actions give you a reprise to look around and asses the situation — having to chop some vegetables while in disguise might complicate that a bit.
There’s also a new ‘priming’ system used exclusively while playing on PSVR, which primes an item or weapon when you’re ready to use it to attack or interact with. This isn’t needed outside of VR — it’s been implemented so that you can carry an item in VR without it being interpreted an attack if it brushes against someone in a crowd, for example.
Hitman 3 releases January 20 for Xbox, PS4, PS5 and PC, and will support PSVR on PS4 at launch.
The game comes down to just $20 (or if we’re being precise, $19.94) via Amazon, which works out to a discount of around 33%. That’s a pretty great price to pay for a game that has such expansive gameplay, multiplayer capabilities, and full PSVR support. Even better, there’s cross-play support so you can play with friends on any platform, even if they’re not playing in VR and pick up your same save file with VR enabled or without.
No Man’s Sky released in 2016 with a lot of hype behind it. It promised space exploration on a huge scale, with infinite galaxies, planets, and solar systems to explore. Initially, the game launched with quite a few bugs and missing a lot of promised features, but over time it has received a slew of updates and improvements. After it received VR support and revamped it multiplayer as part of the Beyond update, it went on to become a nominee for our Best of VR 2019 awards.
If you want to read more, David wrote an extensive review on the release last year. Here’s a short excerpt from his final conclusions:
Performance issues and some non-game breaking bugs aside, to appreciate what makes No Man’s Sky VR so special is to appreciate the underlying appeal of VR as a medium. They’re both about exploring a vast, endless sea of fantastical destinations. They’re both about embodiment and unrivaled immersion. And above all else they’re both about becoming who you want to be by exploring the far corners of seemingly limitless potential.
Sony’s latest corporate report briefly mentions VR, and reiterates the company’s commitment to making advances in immersive entertainment.
In the entire 66-page document covering all facets of the Sony brand, VR gets just one mention in Game & Network Services section. In general, the overall summary is that Sony is looking to continue to expand and consolidate its existing network of gaming hardware and software, as well as reinforce strong content IP. The company is also putting an emphasis on creating a smooth transition between generations, moving from PS4 to PS5.
In regards to VR, Sony had this to say:
“In executing these strategies, greater emphasis will be placed on user engagement. SIE [Sony Interactive Entertainment] plans to provide content for a variety of game genres and formats, and make advances in unique and immersive interactive experiences such as VR.”
While there’s enough hints to have guessed that Sony would remain committed to the VR platform, it’s nice to see it written out formally nonetheless. We’ve already seen some research videos from Sony showcasing new finger-tracked VR controllers, plus there’s been plenty of evidence to suggest PSVR 2 is in the works already. This level of commitment means that a PSVR hardware refresh could hold big implications for the VR market.
The report also notes that, “through maintaining the momentum and ecosystem that PS4 built up until now, we will promote a smooth transition to the PS5.” While not mentioned specifically, part of this smooth transition will no doubt involve the PSVR ecosystem.
Current generation PSVR hardware will be compatible with the PS5 but will require an adapter for the PlayStation Camera, which will be provided for free. The adapter seems a practical example of this ‘smooth transition’ between generations that Sony is aiming for.
Are you looking forward to PS5 and the next generation of PSVR? Let us know in the comments.
Pre-orders for Hitman 3, the final installment in the World of Assasination trilogy, are now available. Hitman 3 is set to launch on January 20, 2021.
Hitman 3 is IOI Interactive’s final game in the revamped Hitman series, and this one will launch on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, Stadia, and PC (via the Epic Games Store). As previously announced, Hitman 3 will support PSVR, bringing Agent 47 into virtual reality for the first time.
We’ve also confirmed that, even though it’s launching after the PS5, it will still also support PSVR on PS4. Additionally, we know that the PS5 will eventually support current generation PSVR hardware, but it’s not clear when or which VR games.
There’s also a free next-generation upgrade scheme in place for Hitman 3. While the PlayStation 5 will have launched by January, if you haven’t upgraded consoles yet by then, don’t worry. You can still buy a digital copy of Hitman 3 on PS4 and you’ll receive access to the PS5 version of the game for free if/when you choose to jump to the next generation.
There’s two versions of the game available for pre-order — the regular and the deluxe edition. The latter includes a few extra cosmetic suits and items, pictured above, plus a digital art book and soundtrack, director commentary mission introductions, and “deluxe escalation missions”. In previous Hitman games, the escalation missions are reworked levels that use existing maps with different, harder, or more varied objectives compared to the original campaign.
In Hitman 2, the Gold and Silver editions gave you access to post-launch campaign content — the bank level, set in New York, and the Haven Island level, set in the Maldives. Given there’s no mention of post-launch campaign content for Hitman’s 3 deluxe edition, it might be that all the campaign content is scheduled to release at launch on January 21, with no campaign levels releasing as paid DLC post-launch this time. We don’t know that for sure though.
Pre-ordering either edition of the game also gives you access to the Trinity Pack — 3 sets of cosmetics that each include white, red, and black versions of Agent 47’s suit, gun and briefcase.
So far, we know that Hitman 3 will feature a level in Dubai and a level in Dartmoor, England. I’m personally still holding out for an airport-themed level — fingers crossed.
Registration has opened for users who wish to pre-order the PlayStation 5 direct from Sony.
You can sign up now via the PlayStation site using your PlayStation Online ID, however registering interest does not guarantee that you’ll get an invitation to place a pre-order. According to the FAQs, only a limited number of invitations will be sent out (due to a “limited quantity” of consoles available) which will be selected based on “previous interests and PlayStation activities.”
Selected users will receive an email with their invitation before pre-orders start. If you don’t get an email, you haven’t been selected. The invitation still isn’t even a guarantee, with Sony stating “each invitation is open for a limited time a quantities are limited per PSN ID per transaction.” You can read more specifics over on the FAQ page, but it sounds like it might be quite the feat to get your hands on the slick beast.
An invitation will allow you to pre-order either 1 PS5 console or 1 PS5 Digital Edition console, alongside up to 2 of each accessory (DualSense controllers, DualSense charging stations, Pulse 3D wireless headsets, media remotes and HD cameras). With current PS4 hardware, only one PlayStation Camera can be connected/used at the same time. Could being able to order two cameras for one PlayStation 5 indicate that both could be connected to the console at once?
While this is all purely speculation, given the PlayStation Camera’s integral role to PSVR tracking, the ability to order two cameras could hold some significance for PSVR 2 and its potential upgraded tracking systems. Or it could mean nothing — it’s impossible to tell for now.
It seems clear at this point that Sony won’t be releasing a second PSVR headset to go alongside the launch of the PS5 later this year.
The tech giant will have its hands busy getting the market to adopt just one expensive new Christmas gift, for starters. But recent breadcrumbs dropped on the trail Sony is taking to VR on PS5 do have us wondering if the company might take a different approach to its next-generation rollout. Specifically, we’re growing increasingly interested in the idea that the company could release new VR controllers before a new headset.
Time To Move On
On September 15th of this year, Sony’s Move controllers will turn 10 years old. When PS5 launches, they’ll be two generations removed from their original console.
I won’t spend much time dishing out the insults on the Move controllers. Even in 2020, PSVR remains my favorite headset and VR ecosystem, but the Move’s limited tracking, confusing button layout and lack of analog sticks hang like a weight around the headset’s neck. The system is in dire need of an upgrade.
In fact, as excited as we are for the PSVR 2 headset itself, it represents only one of three areas Sony has to make strides with for VR on PS5. Another is processing power, a problem that’s solved with the introduction of the new console. Improved controllers are the final piece of that puzzle. Naturally, you’d assume these would arrive alongside PSVR 2, but Sony may have cause to jump the gun a little earlier than that.
Hitman Hints
Last week’s reveal of PSVR support Hitman 3 has sparked a lot of speculation in the PlayStation community.
Somewhat strangely, neither Sony nor developer IO Interactive has yet confirmed what platforms Hitman’s PSVR support will be available on. Hitman 3 is coming to both PS4 and PS5 in January 2021, but it would be a truly bizarre situation if the PSVR support was limited to the PS4 version of the game, and yet Sony has not yet confirmed new PS5 games can support the old headset. This week, we found out the game doesn’t support the Move motion controllers and instead uses the DualShock 4, but either way, the existence of PSVR-compatible PS5 games means the point still stands.
Tracking R&D
At the same time, we’ve been closely following Sony’s progress with new VR controllers via published patents and research videos. The results, so far, are promising.
Most recently the above video — produced by Sony’s own PlayStation division — showcased a device with finger-tracking capabilities similar to Valve’s Index controllers. The device can detect when the player has their fingers wrapped around the controller’s grip, and mirror’s this with a pair of virtual hands. Patents, meanwhile, also point to improved ergonomics and, yes, analog sticks.
Plus, PS5’s new DualSense controller features improved haptic feedback and back triggers that put up resistance when pulled. These are features that have also been spotted in VR controller patents and would surely make sense for second-generation Move controllers.
Why Wait?
While marketing a new, $300+ headset to go alongside your likely $400+ new console might be out of the question this Christmas, a new pair of $100 controllers for PSVR’s existing fanbase seems like an easier sell.
So far we know PS5 supports old PSVR controllers — including Move, DualShock 4 and Aim — for backward compatible PS4 games only. You won’t be able to use them for new PS5 games but, if Sony is going to let new games like Hitman support VR, there needs to be some sort of workaround. New, future-proof motion controllers strike us as the most logical avenue.
Not to mention the knock-on effect of then reducing the cost of PSVR 2 itself whenever it finally arrives; a base package that includes the headset alone could drive down costs.
The Future Awaits
This is, of course, all speculation at this point in time, but with the clock running down on 2020, we’re sure to learn more about Sony’s PSVR plans in the near future. With the wait for PSVR 2 likely to go on for a good while longer, shipping new controllers sooner rather than later would be a great way to whet our appetites.
A recently-posted job listing from Sony Corp in Japan confirms that the company is working on a “next-generation VR head mounted display”.
The listing states (via Google Translate): “We are developing a next-generation VR head mounted display,” and the company is on the hunt for a team of around 15 people that will be “in charge of mechanical design of the lens barrel supporting the optical system, small and lightweight housing, heat radiation design, development of jig for optical system evaluation, etc.”
Sony Next Generation VR Headset In The Works
At first thought, this might appear to confirm work on a much-anticipated PSVR 2 headset for PS5, but it might not be as simple as that.
For starters, the job posting is directly from the wider Sony Corporation and not Sony Interactive Entertainment, the division of the company that runs the PlayStation operation. Plus, one part of the translated text states that the job is to develop a mechanism for a headset “with a view to five years from now”.
The translation isn’t entirely clear, but this could be suggesting that the role is to work on a headset to release five years from now, rather than a device releasing five years after the original PSVR, which launched in 2016. Could this instead be the beginnings of a headset that will succeed PSVR 2 like, dare we say it, PSVR 3? Or is the wider Sony Corp working on a VR headset beyond the PSVR branding – perhaps a standalone system or something for PCs?
Other interesting notes in the listing include mention of “delivering beautiful images and comfortable ease of use to customers”.
Whatever comes of this, it definitely seems like Sony is still committed to VR for the long-term. We know that PS5, which launches this holiday season, supports the original PSVR headset and there’s plenty of evidence to suggest PSVR 2 is in the works too.
Take note we can’t find when the listing itself was actually posted, though it’s listed as ‘New’ on Sony’s website and third-party agencies list page update dates between late July to early August.
What do you think this Sony next-generation VR headset could be? Let us know in the comments below!
Tony Stark has fought his new nemesis, Beat Saber, to a standstill in July’s PlayStation Store charts.
Iron Man VR, the PSVR exclusive blockbuster that released on July 3rd, topped the US and Canada Store charts for the month. Beat Saber followed in second but, in the EU, the situation is reversed; Beat Saber held onto first place with the new Marvel game following up behind.
Keep in mind that Iron Man VR was also sold in boxes at retail, and these charts don’t count those sales. It’s quite possible that, with those sales considered, the game could still be on top in the EU. Certainly, it performed well in the first two weeks of the UK’s physical sales charts. There was also a Move bundle in the EU and a PSVR bundle in the US to help move things along.
Elsewhere, both The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners and Gorn stayed strong in July. Skydance Interactive’s zombie-slayer hit the fourth spot in the US and EU, while Gorn was fifth in the US and seventh in the EU. All the usuals – Superhot, Job Simulator, Moss and Creed — help fill out the rest.
It’s good to see new PSVR games populating a list that’s so often dominated by titles that are years old now. We don’t have much else on the release radar for the headset in August, though there’s a State Of Play broadcast in a few hours’ time that could well give us more to look forward to. We’ll bring you all the updates from the event.
