Sony is releasing an adapter on August 7, 2024 which allows its PlayStation VR2 virtual reality headset to work on PC.
After announcing incoming PC support for the headset in February, a PlayStation Blog post today confirmed the all but confirmed adapter will be available for $59.99 on the August date. The adapter connects to the single USB-C connector found on the PSVR2 and allows owners to play PC VR games like Half-Life: Alyx without a previously required PC VR headset (like a Valve Index or Meta Quest).
The adapter doesn't come with everything required to plug in and play, however, as players will also need to purchase a DisplayPort cable compatible with DisplayPort 1.4 (and most obviously a VR-ready gaming PC). A Steam account is required to play SteamVR games too.
The minimum requirements for the PSVR2 headset to run on PC were also shared (and can be seen below), but Sony didn't provide word on recommended or high requirements. An Intel Core i5-7600 equivelant processor, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 or equivelant graphics card, and 8GB of RAM are required at the very least.
Due to the PSVR2 being designed specifically for the PlayStation 5, Sony offered a disclaimer that users who wish to buy the adapter will "notice that some key features" such as HDR, headset feedback, eye tracking, and adaptive triggers, are not available when playing on PC. However, some "high fidelity and sensory immersion" features on PSVR2, such as 110-degree field of view, finger touch detection, see-through view, and 4K resolution, will be available.
The announcement comes a few days after Sony filed the adapter for certification with the South Korean National Radio Research Agency website.
A New Lease on Life for PSVR2
Sony likely hopes the PC adapter, alongside incoming games like Metro Awakening VR, will breathe new life into its year old headset. The device has seemingly lost momentum despite its technical prowess, though Sony hasn't shared figures since revealing the PSVR2 had sold 600,000 within six weeks of its February 2023 launch.
During an interview last December with the Financial Times, SIE's head of global business, Eric Lempel, explained that VR gaming was "a bit of a challenging category right now." In January, Road to VR tracked Amazon sales of the PSVR2 and the Meta Quest 2 and 3 headsets, discovering that both of Meta's headsets had significantly outsold Sony's device. In March, Bloomberg reported that Sony had allegedly paused the production of the PSVR2 to clear the backlog of unsold units it had.
Despite PSVR2's rough first year, the support for PC VR makes it more enticing and justifiable because of its hefty price tag. It expands the library significantly, allowing the device to be more versatile regarding platform compatibility and enabling PSVR2 owners to gain access to PC VR games like Half-Life: Alyx, assuming they already do not own a PC VR headset.
In our review of the PSVR2, IGN wrote: "With top-notch visual quality and immersively tactile Sense controllers, PlayStation VR2 represents a quantum leap over its predecessor, setting a new standard for console VR gaming."
Taylor is a Reporter at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.
