Sony Unveils Next-Gen ‘Orb’ VR Controller For PS5
PS5 VR users can look forward to improvements such as adaptive triggers, finger-touch detection, and haptic feedback, just to name a few.
Last month Sony confirmed that it is currently in development of a direct follow-up to its PlayStation VR headset, promising significant improvements to resolution, better tracking and input, and a larger field-of-view. The company also briefly mentioned a new controller which will employ “key features found in the DualSense wireless controller.”
Earlier today, Sony offered us our first look at this next-gen VR controller and the design is interesting, to say the least.
Sony’s unnamed next-gen controller features a unique “orb” shape that envelops the users’ hands. According to Sony, this distinctive design offers better ergonomics and improved weight distribution, resulting in significantly more comfortable VR interactions. In terms of tracking, a tracking ring located at the bottom of the controller will allow the new headset to monitor its position in real-time.
Similar to the Oculus Touch controller, each PS5 VR controller features a conventional analog stick, trigger, and grip button. The right controller includes the cross, circle, and Options buttons, while the left includes the triangle, square, and Create buttons.
Now, here’s where things start to get interesting. The above-mentioned “adaptive” triggers deliver a sense of palpable tension when pressed, allowing you to feel the resistance as you draw your virtual bow or pull the trigger of your gun. Improved haptic feedback also promises more engaging in-headset experiences, allowing you to”feel” virtual worlds in greater detail. According to Sony, this is the same technology used in Sony’s Dualsense controller for PS5.
Then there’s the finger touch detection. The new controller is able to track the positioning of your thumb, index, and middle fingers, resulting in more natural hand gestures. This is an especially useful feature for social VR games and cooperative multiplayer experiences where communication is key.
“Our new VR controller speaks to our mission of achieving a much deeper sense of presence and stronger feeling of immersion in VR experiences,” said Hideaki Nishino, Senior Vice President, Platform Planning & Management, in an official announcement. “It will build upon the innovation we introduced with the DualSense wireless controller, which changed how games “feel” on PS5 by unlocking a new way to tap into the sense of touch. Now we’re bringing that innovation to VR gaming.”
According to Sony, prototypes of the new controllers will be shipping out to select developers soon.
For more information you check out the full announcement here. Seeing as the company had only just revealed the existence of the PSVR 2, today’s announcement came as a welcomed surprise. Here’s hoping this is just first in a series of upcoming reveals.
Feature Image Credit: Sony Interactive Entertainment
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