PS5 VR Controllers Ditch The Magic Wand Look

Sony shared a glimpse of the new controllers that will be apart of its next-gen VR add-on for the PS5 in a blog post today and they look nothing like the glowing wands used for the company’s existing PSVR headset.

The new controllers almost look like an optical illusion, and also have a lot more in common with what the Oculus uses. There are thumbsticks and face buttons at the ends of both with triggers on the underside. Then there’s a plastic spiral that encases the hand like a mini version of the orb Jodie Foster used to visit the after-life dimension in Contact

Here are some of the technical features they’ll include:

● Adaptive triggers: Each VR controller (Left and Right) includes an adaptive trigger button that adds palpable tension when pressed, similar to what’s found in the DualSense controller. If you’ve played a PS5 game, you’ll be familiar with the tension in the L2 or R2 buttons when you press them, such as when you’re drawing your bow to fire an arrow. When you take that kind of mechanic and apply it to VR, the experience is amplified to the next level.

● Haptic feedback: The new controller will have haptic feedback optimized for its form factor, making every sensation in the game world more impactful, textured and nuanced. When you’re traversing through rocky desert or trading blows in melee combat, you’ll feel the difference, magnifying the extraordinary visual and audio experience that’s so central to VR.

● Finger touch detection: The controller can detect your fingers without any pressing in the areas where you place your thumb, index, or middle fingers. This enables you to make more natural gestures with your hands during gameplay.

● Tracking: The VR controller is tracked by the new VR headset through a tracking ring across the bottom of the controller.

https://kotaku.com/sony-finally-announces-next-gen-vr-for-ps5-1846334191

The controllers will also have dedicated “grip” function bound to the R1 and L1 buttons. Presumably, no matter what game you’re playing, those will be the buttons you use to pick up and manipulate objects in VR.

There’s still no information about the headset itself, or when Sony is planning to release the new hardware, but the company did say in today’s post that prototypes of the new VR controllers will be out to developers “soon.”