Summary
Sony may be adding gaze tracking and otherPlayStation VR2features to non-VR games soon according to the company’s newly filed patent. If these features are implemented,PlayStation VR2players could benefit from an improved gaming experience in a variety of titles on PlayStation 5.
Sony launched the PlayStation VR2 headset on February 22 with a number of natively supported games, includingHorizon: Call of the Mountain,Gran Turismo 7, andDyschronia: Chronos Alternate. Early reports suggestedPlayStation VR2 was struggling to sell, and low stock in retailers appeared to be a contributing factor. Fortunately, Sony restocked PlayStation VR2 at retailers in the weeks and months following its launch, and the company claimed that the headset’s sales were ahead of projections. Although there’s a current lack of new PlayStation VR2 games developed by first-party studios, Sony appears to be preparing for a major update.
A newly filed patent by Sony reveals that the company may be planning to implement gaze tracking and other PlayStation VR2 features into non-VR games to improve performance while gaming with the headset. The patent details a system that focuses and renders the area that players are looking at in a higher resolution, which is denoted as the region of gaze (ROG). This process is already supported innative PlayStation VR2 games likeHorizon: Call of the Mountain, but the patent notes that it could be applied in non-VR games to improve frame rates at a higher resolution. Moreover, PlayStation 5 games may be “patched, upgraded, or remastered” to support gaze tracking and VR features according to Sony’s patent.
If implemented, the patented system would allow PlayStation 5 consoles to dedicate less processing power to areas outside the PlayStation VR2 user’s ROG in the newly updated and developed games. Since the processing power is being diverted to the ROG, players may enjoy a smoother gameplay experience due to higher frame rates. Further, graphical details and draw distance will also be improved in the ROG for a clearer image incinematic action games like Sony Santa Monica’sGod of War.
The new patent isa promising sign of PlayStation VR2’s futuresince gamers could enjoy their favorite first-party and third-party games on PlayStation 5 with improved performance. These improvements are vital since higher and consistent frame rates can reduce motion sickness in VR. However, it’s worth noting that patents do not indicate that an announcement or new system software update is imminent. Sony could be developing and further refining its new PlayStation VR2 features before pushing out a new update in the future.
PlayStation VR2
The successor to the PS VR, the PlayStation VR2 is Sony’s virtual reality headset. Debuting in February 2023, the hardware is designed as a companion piece for the PlayStation 5 and requires the PS VR2 Sense controller.
