This week Sony confirmed the release date and pricing details for its upcoming DualSense Edge PS5 controller. The premium pad appears to be PlayStation’s answer to the Xbox Elite controller, but its jaw-dropping price tag has me worrying a lot about how much the PSVR 2 will cost when it launches next year.
A recent PlayStation Blog Post (opens in a new tab) confirmed that DualSense Edge will launch in January and initially retails for $ 199 / £ 209. That price was immediately met with backlash as interested PS5 owners were against. to the idea of spending more than a third of the price of the same next-gen console on just one controller.
With Sony positioning the DualSense Edge at the high end of the luxury controller market, I begin to worry that the same fate will befall the PSVR 2 in 2023. And a daunting price tag could have a detrimental impact on the virtual reality headset’s potential long-term. , not to mention my bank account.
Sony is not afraid of being unpopular on the price
(Credito immagine: Sony Interactive Entertainment)
A quick glance at Sony’s announcement post when the price of the DualSense Edge has been confirmed tells you everything you need to know. Sony won’t be afraid to charge a hefty premium for its luxury controller at launch.
The comments section of the PlayStation blog post is filled with PS5 owners less than impressed with being asked to fork out $ 200 for a controller.
The comments section of the PlayStation blog post is filled with PS5 owners less than impressed with being asked to fork out $ 200 for a controller. Sure, the DualSense Edge is a controller with lots of extra bells and whistles, but it’s still a hefty entry cost.
It should be noted that we can’t judge the overall value of the DualSense Edge until we’ve actually tested it ourselves, but the pre-release optics for such a high price isn’t exactly good.
Additionally, earlier this year Sony took the almost unprecedented move of raising the price of the PS5 in select markets around 18 months after the console’s original launch. In regions like the UK, buying Sony’s flagship console today is actually more expensive than it was in 2021. This is the direct opposite trend that tech products generally follow. Usually, they get cheaper over time, not more expensive. However, this trend has become more common over the past couple of years.
Fortunately, the PS5 price hike hasn’t arrived in the US yet (it has likely become the relative strength of the US dollar), but it’s further proof that Sony feels bullish when it comes to pricing its PlayStation products.
PSVR 2 is likely to be truly premium
Earlier this year, the full spec sheet for PSVR 2 was revealed, ready to blow up its predecessor, and then some. It promises not only to be one of the most popular VR headsets on the market, but also a very powerful one.
PSVR 2 vs PSVR Specification PSVR PSVR 2 OLED screen OLED Resolution (per eye) 960 × 1080 2000 × 2040 Refresh rate 90Hz, 120Hz 90Hz, 120Hz Field of view (approx.) 100 degrees 110 degrees Cameras None Four cameras for integrated headphones Feedback None Integrated single motor Connection USB-A, HDMI USB-A, HDMI USB-C Audio Integrated microphone and stereo headphone jack Integrated microphone and stereo headphone jack
The PSVR 2 headset will offer significantly improved visual fidelity with 4K resolution, HDR support and a 110 degree field of view. It will also feature an OLED display, with an expected resolution per eye of 2000 × 2040 (a huge leap up from the original PSVR’s 960 × 1080 per eye). The headset will support a refresh rate of up to 120Hz.
Foveated rendering, which reduces resource detail in peripheral vision to maximize available power, has also been confirmed. The device will offer headset-based controller tracking through a built-in camera built into the VR headset itself and will also be able to track eyes.
(Image credit: Sony | Remix via Nick Bush)
PSVR 2 also packs an impressive range of sensory features. Headset feedback is the most important addition, with a single built-in motor that adds vibration to the headset. This can, for example, simulate the sensation of an object passing near your head. This will be complemented by 3D Audio technology and the haptic feedback and adaptive triggers offered by the PSVR 2 Sense controller will be included in the PSVR 2 Sense controllers.
Considering all of these improvements, it’s hard to see the PSVR 2 selling for less than $ 399, but I personally think $ 499 is more likely.
Considering all of these improvements, it’s hard to see the PSVR 2 selling for less than $ 399, but I personally think $ 499 is more likely. This would place the headset at the same price as the PS5 console itself and $ 100 more than the Oculus Rift S.
However, with Sony’s current aggressive pricing strategy, in my view, there is a real possibility that it could go for an even higher price, maybe $ 549 isn’t off the table. Regions such as the UK that are currently experiencing higher freight costs seem particularly prone to an inflated price on PSVR 2.
A high price could hold back PSVR 2
My biggest concern about releasing the PSVR 2 at a price of around $ 499 isn’t just that my bank account would be drained from a pre-order. Such a prohibitive price tag could cause the headset to fail to gather enough vapor to keep developers interested in making games for it.
In order for PSVR 2 to be continuously supported with new software for years to come, it obviously needs to have a large enough player base to justify the development cost of the games for it. If the PSVR 2 is simply too expensive for most people to buy, then it may see less software overall, which will lead to fewer unit sales, and then the cycle repeats until the PSVR 2 ends up as PS Vita, a great device that was eventually overlooked and left to die by Sony.
Of course, Sony seems fully committed to VR gaming and has also recently acquired new VR software studios to bolster its development arm. Flagship VR exclusive games like Horizon Call of the Mountain and The Walking Dead Saints & Sinners 2 have already been confirmed. Additionally, there have long been rumors of a port of the popular Half-Life VR game: Alyx. So, at least during the launch window, PSVR 2 is highly unlikely to have a software problem.
Sony is making another big bet on virtual reality, so it would seem very likely that the PSVR 2 will have a shelf life that will stretch at least as long as that of the PS5. However, I hope the DualSense Edge’s high price isn’t a harbinger of things to come for the PSVR 2.