SONY have officially revealed the new controllers which will accompany their recently announced next-generation PlayStation Virtual Reality (PS VR) technology for PS5.
While scant little detail was provided in last month’s reveal that a brand new PS VR headset would be coming to PS5 other than to acknowledge its existence, the official PlayStation Blog have now provided us with a first look at the controllers which will be used with it.
The new controllers will “build upon the innovation we introduced with the DualSense wireless controller, which changed how games feel on PS5 by unlocking a new way to tap into the sense of touch. Now we’re bringing that innovation to VR gaming” according to Hideaki Nishino, PlayStation’s senior vice-president of platform planning and management.
The new controllers will feature the same adaptive trigger and haptic feedback technologies found in the PS5’s DualSense gamepad.
The adaptive triggers can be programmed by developers to give a sense of tension or resistance which can vary depending on in-game context, with the oft-used example of being able to feel the tension in a bowstring as it drawn showing how it can be used to add flavour to the overall gameplay experience.
The much improved next-gen haptics, akin to the type found in Nintendo’s Joy-Cons and the latest smartphones can also be used to improve immersion. Both technologies were are shown off impressively in Astro’s Playroom, a small game which ships with Sony’s latest console and built to show of the DualSense’s new features.
The controller will also feature some brand new features such as touch sensor for gesture controls around the grips and a new motion sensing technology using the new headset and the ring which surrounds the player’s arm.
Later in the blog post, Nishino went on to say: “We’re thrilled with the controller we developed, but what matters now is how game creators will take advantage of the features to design the next generation of VR experiences.
“Prototypes of our new VR controller will be in the hands of the development community soon, and we can’t wait to see what ideas they come up with and how the controller helps bring their imagination to life!”
Fans have been anticipating an improved VR experience since the original’s 2016 release, but it looks like they’ll have to wait a while longer for it; Sony have confirmed that the next-generation upgrade is still very much in development and will not be available in 2021.
Following this reveal, some people online have noticed a striking resemblance to the logo for an old Sony division. Can you see it?
Politics, Philosophy and Economics student at the University of Stirling. Media Officer for Stirling Students' Union and Secretary of Brig Newspaper.
