Is PSVR worth it in 2023?

Depending on who you ask, you’re probably going to get a different point of view on the PSVR. There are those that think the headset is not a bad start for virtual reality gaming, whilst others see it as a failure and not what it was supposed to be.

It’s fair to say that for many, it hasn’t lived up to expectations and it’s not the VR revolution many were expecting. But, there’s also the school of thought that maybe people were expecting too much with the first generation of the PSVR.

And with the PS5 being released fairly recently, it makes sense that you might be wondering whether the PSVR gaming system is actually worth getting. As with any new console release, it takes most of the brands attention, which means that PSVR is in danger of being neglected.

With competition out there like the Oculus Quest 2, you’ll likely need to make the decision between the two. So, we’re going to take a look at how the PSVR headset works, and if it’s worth getting for those with a PS4 or the PS5.

Is PSVR worth it?

The truth is that the Playstation VR is going to be worth it for some, as it’s the best virtual reality headset if you’re looking for something to use with a gaming console. However, it’s far from perfect, and future versions may be worth waiting for.

It has withstood a lot of criticism over the past few years, with some feeling like Sony have abandoned the Playstation VR. Whilst this isn’t strictly true, it hasn’t had the same amount of love and attention it received when Sony were trying to sell it to us – no surprises there, I guess.

The good news is that the Playstation VR will be fully compatible with the PS5, and you can play all your VR games through your PS5 too. So, it won’t just get left by the wayside with the arrival of the newer PS5 console.

PSVR Games worth considering

At the moment, one of the main criticisms of the Playstation VR is that there isn’t a good amount of games released for the device, with more emphasis being placed on normal gaming. If there’s one thing fans want, it’s a larger library of games.

However, in spite of this, there are some good games for VR, which includes;

Astro Bot – The poster boy for the VR, it’s probably still the first game that many people use. It’s the perfect place to start when you’re just starting out, as it’s interesting yet slow enough to get used to everything.
Resident Evil/Arizona Sunshine – For those that like zombie games, either of these two are a must have. Arizona Sunshine especially, which allows you to play a campaign mode in co-op.
Borderlands 2 – One of the better releases back on the older console, it has made a great switch over to the VR platform and it should be on your list of games to play.
Gran Turismo – As you’d expect, there’s always one driving game which seems to get a lot of attention for each console. For the VR, it’s Gran Turismo.

Is PSVR a failure?

Although the PSVR has sold 5+ million units, there are some who still think that the PSVR is regarded as a failure. There are a couple of main criticisms of the headset which are commonly though of as reasons why it hasn’t been as successful as it could have been. And, these are things that could be introduced to the PSVR 2 to make it a better version than the original.

Motion Sickness – One of the key factors in mainstream acceptance of VR is getting rid of motion sickness. This isn’t just a problem with the Playstation headset, but as leaders in the console market, they do need to find a solution to this. Although after time it tends to go away, the initial motion sickness can put people off. Maybe some sort of entry/first time user walkthrough could be of use here to get people used to the device.

Wireless – On one hand, we have airpods, wireless controllers and everything else tech is telling us that we don’t need wires anymore, and we’re looking forward to a wireless future. Making the new PSVR is going to be another key to its success, and if Playstation can do it, then it might just be the difference to it being accepted as a mainstream must-have.

Pricing – With the Oculus Quest 2 being within a similar price point to PSVR, this is one area where Sony really need to get things right. Although PSVR is the top console virtual reality option right now, many people prefer to stick with the Quest, or even the Oculus Rift, as they’re all a similar price. A cheaper VR headset might attract newer customers to opt to stay with the Sony they’ve grown up with.

Games – There are hundreds of different games out there that can be used with Playstation VR, and it’s a great start. Coming years will likely see this turn into thousands, and if backwards compatible can be added to the PSVR 2, then

When will the PSVR 2 be released?

So, we’ve established that the Playstation VR isn’t necessarily a failure, but it’s nowhere near being accepted in the mainstream and it’s not competent enough to being a must have on every kids Christmas list.

But we also know that Sony are 100% sure that they feel that virtual reality is going to be a key part of the future of Playstation and all other gaming consoles. Whilst it might not be the most highly regarded platform at the moment, it likely will be at some point.

This brings us onto the anticipated release of the PSVR 2, which we know Sony are pretty likely to bring out in the coming years. But when exactly will this arrive to stores for consumer use?

Well, we know that Sony have got the device in the works. But with the PS5 released at the end of 2020, they’re definitely going to be focussed on this for the foreseeable future. With releases of big games like Cyberpunk 2077, there’s no need for them to release it in the shadow of the PS5.

So, it seems likely that the PSVR 2 will come at some point in 2023, more likely towards the end of it. This gives the PS5 a good year to 19 months of use before they release a new product onto the market. It’s likely that it will be compatible with the PS5 only.

Update 2021: Sony have released minimal details about the next generation of PSVR to be released. We know that it won’t be in 2021, and it’s probably going to arrive in Q3, if not Q4 of the following year.

The good news is that they have given us a few details as to how they’re going to improve is the motion controllers, as well as the visuals of the headset too. Whilst we’re not sure whether it’s going to be 4K yet or not, it’ll likely be a step up on the 1080p standard at present.

Is PSVR compatible with the PS5?

People who have older PS4 Move controllers and VR will probably be wondering whether it’ll work with the PS5. The good news is that yes, the PSVR is compatible with the PS5. That means that you can enjoy your games from either console and use your headset with the newer console.

But if you want to play older PS4 games on your PS5, then you will likely need to use a PS4 controller with your VR headset. This is the case for games like Astro Bot.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it’s unfair to call the PSVR a complete failure. But, we do need to acknowledge that it isn’t the revolutionary console that many people hoped for, and we aren’t quite there yet in terms of console gaming and virtual reality.

However, we are closer and closer to VR being a key component in playing video games, and the next decade will see more and more virtual reality being introduced.