Sony unveiled its next generation of PlayStation VR controllers today, and man, they look familiar. Having abandoned the ice cream cone motion controllers of yore, next-generation PSVR controllers will adopt an ergonomic orb shape similar to the one we currently use on the Oculus Quest 2 and HTC Vive Cosmos. But there is one feature in particular that I would love to see on PC VR headsets. That’s right, guys. Dualsense is coming to VR, and I want that.
Technically, Sony is not calling it a suitable Dualsense at the moment, but each VR controller will come with an adaptive trigger button “which adds palpable tension when pressed, similar to what is found on the Dualsense controller”, according to the PlayStation Blog . “If you’ve ever played a PS5 game, you’ll be familiar with the tension on the L2 or R2 buttons when you press them, like when you’re pulling your bow to shoot an arrow. When you use that type of mechanics and apply it to VR, the experience is extended to the next level. “
That’s not all, as each controller will also provide more general tactile feedback that apparently will allow you to “feel the difference” between crossing a rocky desert, say, and hitting someone in a boxing game, says Sony. That sounds really cool if you ask me, and it’s something that is currently lacking in PC VR controllers. Think about what this could mean for the future of pretending to eat Half-Life: Alyx’s virtual rolls!
Like the Valve Index controllers, the new PSVR controllers will also be able to detect your fingers without the need to physically press anything on the controller, although, from the looks of things, it does not appear that you will be able to release them completely as you can on the Index . Unlike the Index, however, the new PSVR controllers will be tracked by the headset thanks to a sneaky tracking ring at the bottom of the controller. Sony has yet to say whether the headset itself will require the use of external trackers – all they have revealed so far is that it will connect to the PS5 via a single cable and that it will improve everything from resolution and field of view for tracking and entry.
The next-generation PSVR headset and controllers are still a long way from being available for purchase. Sony has already said that it will not be released in 2021, so it will be at least next year that we will see exactly what kind of impact these non-Dualsense controllers have on the way we play VR games. In the meantime, I would love to see a new version of the Index joints with some kind of integrated Dualsense tactile feedback at some point. The rolls deserve it!