PSVR 2 Won’t ‘Coincide’ With PS5 Launch

Sony’s next-gen console seems to be the most anticipated gaming system at the moment, but the game company isn’t in a hurry to release its new gaming behemoth anytime soon. Now, a new report says that the company isn’t in a hurry to release one of its best-selling features as well.

Sony made big news when Mark Cerny, the head of development for the PlayStation 5, spilled the beans regarding the upcoming gaming console’s specs. The developer said it will feature an architecture similar to that of the PS4, but have significantly powerful specs that are sure to take video gaming to another level.

Specifically, Cerny said the PS5 will have CPUs based on the third gen of the AMD Ryzen chips featuring eight new 7nm Zen 2 microarchitecture cores. This CPU will be coupled with a custom GPU based on Radeon's Navi to support ray tracing and 8K resolution.

Ray tracing is a rendering technique used to show the impact of light hitting certain elements and textures in a 3D environment. This rendering technique is used in Hollywood special effects to create breathtaking visuals.

Aside from these, the CPU is also expected to partner with a custom piece that will allow for 3D audio. These graphics and audio components combine to provide users with a totally immersive gaming experience. Cerny also said the PS5 will provide support for PSVR, the game company’s foray into virtual reality.

Virtual Success

Sony has been largely successful at virtual reality with the PSVR. According to Sony’s senior VP of R&D Dominic Mallinson (via VentureBeat), the company is “happy” that it sold 4.2 million PSVR headsets as of March this year, but it knows it “can do better.”

Mallinson said there are more than 96 million PS4 units in the market today, and that Sony is aiming to give the users of those PS4 consoles the VR experience. He also said the company has more plans for PSVR after the PS4, saying “The future is bright for virtual reality.”

Despite the numbers and the huge plans for PSVR, however, Mallinson said Sony won’t be releasing PSVR 2 with the PS5.

"There's no reason for us to coincide it with a new console,” Mallinson told CNet.

As of now, Sony hasn’t mentioned an exact release date for the PS5 just yet, only hinting that it might be within three years’ time. We’ll see what the company plans for PSVR over time.