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 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 equivalent processor, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 or equivalent 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.
Things certainly don't sound good behind the scenes, as Sony Interactive Entertainment's head of global business Eric Lempel told the Financial Times in December 2023 that VR was "a bit of a challenging category right now." Road to VR also tracked Amazon sales of Sony's headset compared to the Meta Quest 2 and 3 a month later, and found both had significantly outsold the PSVR2. In March, Bloomberg reported that Sony had allegedly paused the production of the PSVR2 to clear the backlog of unsold units it had.
The support for PC VR perhaps make the headset more enticing to those put off by its $550 price tag (plus $450 PlayStation 5 console). Those looking to solely PC games could pick the headset and adapter up and do so, though a PlayStation 5 is still needed for those looking to play dedicated PSVR2 games.
In our 9/10 review of the PSVR2, IGN said: "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.
