PlayStation VR — Virtual Reality Plugged Into a PS4, and Its Successor PS VR2

PlayStation VR (PS VR) is Sony's virtual reality system for the PlayStation 4. It launched on 13 October 2016 in both North America and Japan, at $399 in the US and ¥44,980 before tax in Japan. Sony had announced the price and an "October" launch for Japan, North America, Europe and Asia in March 2016; the exact date was given for North America at E3 in June, and for Japan the same month. Besides the headset you needed a PS4 and a PlayStation Camera.

Its successor, PlayStation VR2 (PS VR2), is for the PS5 and launched on 22 February 2023. The two are compared below.

"The next level of immersion"

On 16 March 2016 (Tokyo time), Sony Computer Entertainment announced that PS VR, a virtual reality system that takes the PS4 "to the next level of immersion", would launch from October. The main specifications in that announcement:

The PlayStation.Blog FAQ explains that the experience requires the PS VR system, a PS4 and a PS Camera; most games use the DualShock 4, and a limited number require two PlayStation Move controllers. North American pre-order customers could buy a $499.99 launch bundle that added the camera, two Move controllers and PlayStation VR Worlds. A Cinematic mode let users watch ordinary PS4 games and videos on a large virtual screen in front of them.

In Japan, Sony Interactive Entertainment Japan Asia announced in June 2016 that PS VR would go on sale on 13 October, along with a version bundled with the PlayStation Camera. At E3 2016, SIE America gave the same date for North America and stressed that all 40 million PS4s already in homes were PS VR-capable.

Sales

On 27 February 2017 SIE said cumulative sell-through had reached 915,000 units as of 19 February 2017. In March 2018 it cut US prices, with camera bundles starting at $299.99.

On 6 January 2020 SIE president Jim Ryan said that PS VR had reached its "5 million unit sales milestone". A footnote explains that the figure is an SIE estimate covering 13 October 2016 to 31 December 2019. Road to VR called it likely the best-selling tethered headset so far.

The same article expected 2020 to be harder for PS VR, because the Oculus Quest offered a similarly priced, easier option that did not need to be tethered to a console or PC. In March 2023, citing The Verge, Road to VR reported that Quest headsets had sold nearly 20 million units.

PS VR2 (2023)

On 4 January 2022 Sony announced PlayStation VR2 for the PS5, with a new PS VR2 Sense controller. The biggest change was inside-out tracking: cameras built into the headset follow the player and the controllers, so no external camera is needed. The headset connects to the PS5 with a single cord.

It launched on 22 February 2023, on the same day in Japan. PlayStation.Blog gave prices of $549.99, €599.99 and £529.99; in Japan, according to Game*Spark, it cost ¥74,980. According to Video Games Chronicle, Sony said at a business briefing in May 2023 that PS VR2 sold about 600,000 units in its first six weeks, 8 percent more than the original PS VR in the same period. That comparison is Sony's own.

Opening up to PC, and a price cut

On 3 June 2024 SIE announced a PC adapter for PS VR2, out on 7 August at an estimated retail price of $59.99. It also needs a DisplayPort 1.4 cable (sold separately), a Steam account and a PC that meets the minimum requirements. It opened PS VR2 to SteamVR games, but the announcement said PS VR2 "was designed from the ground up specifically for PS5" and that HDR, headset feedback, eye tracking, adaptive triggers and haptic feedback other than rumble are not available on PC.

On 27 February 2025 SIE said it would cut the recommended retail price of PS VR2 from March to $399.99, €449.99, £399.99 and ¥66,980. In the US that is $150 below the launch price.

For consoles as a whole, see the game consoles timeline. PS VR ran on the PlayStation 4; PS VR2 runs on the PlayStation 5.