Just days after South Africa’s PlayStation distributor confirmed the launch of the PS5 Slim in April, we’re hearing news of Sony’s next big thing: the PS5 ‘Pro’. This isn’t coming from Sony directly, of course. It’s coming, as everything that counts as ‘news’ these days does, from an unofficial source (it was leaked) — by YouTuber Moore’s Law is Dead. And later confirmed by Insider Gaming’s Tom Henderson.

Oh, and it’ll be arriving sometime in the holiday shuffle — to better target those Christmas wishlists — as long as it pumps out enough first-party titles, that is. Good thing Nintendo stood aside this year, huh?

Anyone familiar with the scene knows who Tom Henderson is, and that he doesn’t mess around. He verified that the documents seen in Moore’s Law is Dead’s video are the real thing, coming from a PlayStation developer portal — with the documents hitting relevant developers a few weeks back.

We won’t bore you with all the nitty-gritty details. This is a PS5 Pro, after all. It’s a PlayStation with hardware befitting the four-year gap between itself and the original console — one that’s reportedly being kitted out to best suit any customers picking up GTA VI when it drops next year thanks to its improved GPU that’ll apparently render up to three times faster.

A more consistent frame rate is expected at 4K resolutions, and there’s talk that its ray tracing capabilities could be three (or even four) times faster than the previous iteration. PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution Upscaling (PSSR) has been rumoured to use Sony’s machine learning — similar to AMD’s FSR or Nvidia’s DLSS image upscaling features to possibly boost graphics up to 8K.

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Let’s settle this on LinkedIn…

Anyone against the idea of starving themselves to death probably has a LinkedIn account, perhaps against their will. Microsoft’s social platform has long been a place to go in search of jobs, or employees to fill those jobs — with everyone patting themselves on the back in the process. Now, the platform is looking to branch into gaming.

That might sound like we’re pulling your leg, but it’s true. The billion-strong userbase will soon be treated to at least three of the company’s in-house games; akin to the surge of simple internet games like Wordle or something from neal.fun. They’re called Queens, Inference, and Crossclimb. It isn’t Linkle or something equally Wordle-y, so the NYT should leave them be.

The obvious implementation would be to allow employees to compete against one another, or against other companies. And, according to app researcher Nima Owji, that’s exactly what’s happening.

LinkedIn later confirmed in a message to TechCrunch that it was indeed working on a selection of games, though failed to provide any sort of release window. “We’re playing with adding puzzle-based games within the LinkedIn experience to unlock a bit of fun, deepen relationships, and hopefully spark the opportunity for conversations,” the spokesperson said in a message to TechCrunch.

It’s… a strange move. A website aimed at professionals, would-be or otherwise, succumbing to the pull of time-killing games — designed to kill company time? We hope it all works out.

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Sony hits the pause button on VR

Virtual reality (VR) isn’t for everyone, apparently. You’d think Sony, a company where the bucks flow out of every orifice, would find a way to make it work. But if the rumours are true, the Japanese conglomerate has hit the pause button on PSVR 2 production and begun stockpiling the headsets thanks to declining sales quarter after quarter. Yikes.

We’re just spitballing here, but we reckon the R15,000 price tag — or the fact that it requires a PS5 to work — might have something to do with the declining sales. Don’t even get us started on the lacklustre support for games since its debut, riding on the Horizon Call of the Mountain high ever since. The closing of the PlayStation London division, reportedly working on VR titles, hasn’t helped.

The company’s saving grace could be its decision to allow PC support for the PSVR 2 headset. Or it might continue to sink deeper into this mess, as more people flock towards the similarly priced Meta Quest 3.

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Google’s Gemini on Apple iPhones

AI might be coming to Apple’s iPhones sooner, rather than later. That isn’t thanks to a massive push to get Apple’s in-house AI out sooner, but because of a possible deal that’ll put Google’s Gemini engine on Apple’s devices, according to Bloomberg’s sources familiar with the matter. If the reports are true, Apple’s also explored the possibility of plugging OpenAI’s engine into the development of its next phone.

Whatever the case, we won’t be hearing about it until June at the earliest at Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference. It seems that nothing has yet been agreed upon between Apple and Google — with no ideas of how a partnership would work, or how the AI would be introduced to the devices.

Whether this will affect Apple’s long-rumoured plans to develop its own artificial intelligence in-house has yet to be seen. Just last month, Apple CEO Tim Cook was going on about the massive potential of AI, and that the company was investing heavily in the area in general.

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The PC Master Race is pleased

“We’re pleased to share that we are currently testing the ability for PS VR2 players to access additional games on PC to offer even more game variety in addition to the PS VR2 titles available through PS5. We hope to make this support available in 2024,” Sony said in a blog post detailing the announcement.

Surprisingly, the announcement of the PSVR 2’s newfound powers wasn’t headline news for Sony. It was relegated to the small paragraph you see above, hidden among the company’s other announcements, such as game reveals and release dates for upcoming VR titles. Interesting stuff, sure, but we’ve got to say that PSVR 2 PC compatibility takes the cake.

Read More: Sony’s PSVR 2 – Hands-on and first impressions

Unfortunately, that small paragraph is all we’re getting for now. Sony didn’t go into more detail on how this PC compatibility might work, leaving many wondering whether they’ll be able to use Sony’s headset for other games, like Valve’s Half-Life: Alyx, or if it’ll limit titles to games already available on both PC and PlayStation. We’re guessing it’ll be the latter.

But that might not matter. Modders like iVRy have been attempting to bypass the headset’s exclusivity for quite some time now — spending over $15,000 and countless hours in the process. Who knows? They might just beat Sony to the punchline.

We entered our three-hour playtest with somewhat muted expectations. Sure, everything about Sony’s follow-up is better than the previous iteration — on paper. It would be hard to screw up – there was plenty of room for improvement – thanks to better displays, a more comfortable fit and some of the best tracking we’ve yet seen in a VR headset. We still had some concerns, which we’re glad to say have (for the most part) been addressed.

Despite being impressed with the PSVR 2, by the end of our session one caveat stuck out to us – the price. Besides requiring a brand-new PS5, it costs more than the console itself. R13,500 will buy you the headset and accompanying Sense VR controllers without even securing a game to play. It’s not something we’d recommend emptying your bank accounts for unless you’ve got the cheddar lying around. We don’t, so we… won’t.

Sexier than ever

In terms of looks, the PSVR 2 is a stunner. Not that it needs to be. You’ll spend all of five minutes marvelling at the PSVR 2’s beauty before throwing it on and getting playing. Still, the headset does a wonderful job of keeping with the PS5’s two-tone aesthetic, making it worth sticking up on a shelf for everyone to see once you’ve had your fill.

It’s less weighty than that of the first PSVR, though only slightly at 560g. It’s definitely not light enough to forget its presence on your face, but the lesser weight lends itself well to extended game sessions. Throwing it on for the first time, we immediately noticed just how roomy it was in there. We don’t need glasses while gaming (though our brief stint with Resident Evil: Village might say otherwise), but those that do will appreciate the extra room.

And comfort? Whew. We didn’t spend loads of time inside the original PSVR, though we can see the massive improvement that the PSVR 2 has brought to the table. The fit is tight, yet still comfortable – controlled by a dial on the back that tightens fit while also acting as the unlock clasp. We weren’t able to avoid looking like we’d just stepped out of the headset, though, with a redder forehead than we usually carry around. A small price to pay for improved comfort, we guess. The headband was comfortable enough for us to barely notice it.

If you’re the fidgety sort, you may not gel well with having a massive headset on the front of your face, though that can be said for any VR headset. Here, even the slightest adjustments can cause the lenses and display to mess up the headset’s calibrations. We found that the easiest workaround was to remove the headset entirely for the odd nose scratch. The PSVR 2 allows for that, with whatever game you’re playing automatically pausing itself when the headset is off.

Don’t get square eyes

Fortunately, setup is as easy as plugging in a USB-C cable. Seriously. Gone are the days of needing a processor unit and PS4 camera (that barely worked) to get everything working. The cable (attached to the headset) measures close to 5m, which should be plenty for most households. You’re limited to playing where your PS5 is, which, again, shouldn’t be a problem. Sure, a wireless headset would have been nice but you can’t always get what you want.

Once that USB-C cable is in, you’re ready to go. The four onboard cameras do most of the hard work, asking only that you move your head to peek at your surroundings for the headset. It’ll set up a play area that you’re confined to while sitting (or standing) with the headset on. When you’re happy with the area, it’s time to give the PSVR 2 a real go.

You’ll see why it costs R13,500 once you’re actually in a game. The two OLED HDR displays are magnificent. Each brings in a 2,000 x 2,040-per-eye resolution which keeps everything as clear as can be. Pixelation is still a thing, mainly due to the larger 110-degree viewing array that’s in there. It’s something we hardly noticed and was easy to overlook in the midst of killing stuff in Resident Evil.

It’s also the first VR headset to introduce eye-tracking, and it’s as glorious as it sounds. Sony introduced something called foveated rendering here, allowing the headset to render everything that your eyes are looking at. This helps the PS5 keep the computing load to a minimum. But eye-tracking isn’t just to help the PS5 lift heavy loads. It’s used as a gameplay feature too. User’s eyes become selectors, requiring them to just look at the option they want to press, without any need for an analogue stick to do the work.

Another outstanding feature was the inclusion of haptic feedback, in both the headset and Sense VR controllers (more on those later). Having added feedback included in the headset rather than just the controllers was something we welcomed greatly. “Feeling” the cock of a gun or the attacks from whatever creatures you may encounter really gave the immersion a bump in quality.

Read More: PSVR 2 price got you down? Here are the 7 best PSVR games to keep you busy (for now)

Sensing your way around

Something that the first PSVR was desperately missing is dedicated controllers. That’s no longer a problem, with every PSVR 2 coming with a set of Sense VR inputs. Those familiar with the Quest 2 will feel right at home, though if you’re coming straight from the first edition, these will feel like the second coming of the big guy himself.

That’s mainly due to the headset’s ability to track the rings that surround the grips of the Sense controllers. The headset can track your fingers too, able to replicate a fist motion, or even your index finger, to a degree. It wasn’t able to single out each finger, though you shouldn’t ever really need that functionality in your games.

Now for the controllers themselves. Each has a couple of buttons, an analogue stick and some triggers to play around with. The ‘grab’ button is well-placed along the side of the grip, a convenient place for your index finger to press down. It won’t feel like you’re holding whatever it is, whether it be a gun or knife, but it feels like you’re holding something. It’s a small and easy feature to include, but one that has massive ramifications for the headset.

Controls take some getting used to, what with the spread-out layout of the X, triangle, square and circle buttons. But after spending some time in whatever game’s tutorial, finding the button you’re in need of starts to become second nature. At least, that was the case for us.

Not without any gripes

The PSVR 2 isn’t free from any issues. Most, though, are specific to individual gamers. For example, after spending around an hour or so in the headset, the feeling of being nauseated was back. It wasn’t something that bothered us a whole bunch, though. After a quick sip of water and a wipe down of the lenses, we were right back at it. If you’re prone to motion sickness, it’s probably best to stay away until you’re able to test it out for yourself. Preferably somewhere near a bucket and mop.

This brings us to our second issue – the need to wipe down the headset as often as we did. Sweatier folk (yours truly included) will notice a distinct rise in fog levels once that headset is on. There are extra vents in place to try and counteract this – all of which were helpful to a degree. It’s something that won’t bother most, but it’s something to consider for those that may experience the issue. Our advice? Keep a microfibre cloth handy.

PSVR 2 initial verdict

At a first glance, it’d be hard not to recommend Sony’s latest piece of hardware to fans of VR. That’s not to say causal gamers wouldn’t get a kick out of this. Especially with how easy it is to set up right out of the box. The brilliant graphics and controllers aren’t anything to scoff at either. No, we’re more worried about the R13,500 price tag that’ll scare most gamers away (and rightfully so). And that’s not including the R1,000+ price tags attached to any of the half-decent games.

If you do have the cash to spend, and a PlayStation 5 already in your arsenal, we can’t see you going wrong with the PSVR 2. It’s the closest you’ll get to PC-level quality and comfort without actually needing a PC. In our books, that’s a win.

Sure, it’ll cost R13,500 to lay your hands on just the headset and accompanying VR2 Sense controllers. And yes, that costs more than a brand-new PS5 (this is still an accessory, despite what the price tells you). But if you’re here, you already knew that, right?

Sitting on your head

Sony’s had six years since the launch of its first VR headset to get things right. So… has it? Well, that depends. If you prefer better visuals, better controls, and an overall more comfortable fit, then yes. On paper, there’s nothing that Sony hasn’t improved. Even the games – arguably the most important aspect of the PSVR 2 – have received a major bump in both quality and quantity. But we’ll get to that.

Let’s start off with the thing that’ll sit atop your head until the PSVR 3 comes out. You’ll find a 4K OLED display inside, with a 120Hz refresh rate to go with it. It’s also the first VR headset out there to launch with HDR (high-dynamic range), meaning it’ll be far brighter than Sony’s previous iteration. The increased field of view, now at 110°, should, in theory, offer a deeper sense of immersion.

Read More: PSVR 2 price got you down? Here are the 7 best PSVR games to keep you busy (for now)

Throw in the fact that the PSVR 2 makes use of onboard camera tracking, which removes the need for the terrible PS4 camera entirely, and you’re looking at a real winner. That’s without even mentioning the 3D haptic audio present in both the headsets and controller.

The headset itself has been given a makeover too. Sony has included an extra air vent to improve airflow. The addition of a lens adjustment dial to improve vision is something we can’t believe wasn’t present on the first PSVR. Sony’s decision to make the headset look slightly less stupid was also a good move. It’s not removing that feature entirely mind you – you’ll still look stupid standing in the middle of your living room, just with fewer laughs than you might’ve heard six years ago.

Get your game on

At launch, you won’t have any trouble finding a decent game to get going with. That is if you can afford them. One of the most-anticipated launch titles, Horizon Call of the Mountain, will set you back an extra R1,200 on top of the PSVR 2’s asking price.

Still, if you’ve got the cheddar for the console, a couple of games to go with it shouldn’t be any trouble. Your best bets are probably: Horizon Call of the Mountain, Gran Turismo 7, Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge Enhanced Edition, and Resident Evil Village.

If you’re waiting for something more specific, you can check out this list right here. Over 100 titles are currently in development for the PSVR 2, so if the accessory’s launch titles aren’t your cup of tea, it might be safer to wait for something that catches your eye.

Don’t let that dwell on your mind too much, though. PlayStation’s first venture into the virtual world didn’t perform exceptionally well (at first). But in the six years since it launched, its catalogue of games has grown, building up a solid enough foundation for the PSVR 2. Now, in 2023, PSVR is the best it’s ever been. It’s just unfortunate it took so long and only came into its own when a newer, more expensive model hits the market. Well played, Sony.

If you, like most people, are waiting for some sort of price drop from Sony’s newest virtual console, you’ll be stuck with the original PSVR for the foreseeable future. But that’s okay. We’re willing to bet there are still plenty of games that you either missed or felt too proud to try out. That’s why we’re here. We’ve put together a list of our favourite PlayStation VR games of the previous generation.

Beat Saber

Say hello to Beat Saber. A game that actually manages to make you feel cool, even though you’re wearing a VR headset – a rather rare feeling. That’s due to the game’s nature – a rhythm game that turns your VR controllers into a set of lightsabres.

No, you won’t be fighting enemies using The Force or flying the Millenium Falcon. Beat Saber is far simpler than that and it benefits greatly because of it. It’ll have you swinging wildly at floating blocks flying towards you – like some demonic, heart-racing game of Guitar Hero. Your job is to slash the box as they come at you on the beat, with the added challenge of slashing them in the right direction. Otherwise, you’re just a dual-wielding buffoon standing in the middle of your living room.

The developers behind Beat Saber are constantly updating the game with new music, adding new challenges for you to tackle. Should you ever make the upgrade to the PSVR 2, Beat Saber will be available, though there’s no word on pricing or even a release date at the time of writing. For now, you’re confined to the original PSVR for this one.

Resident Evil 7

Looking for something a tad more… terrifying? Look no further than Resident Evil 7. If you’re only here to indulge in some weird fantasies about Lady Dimitrescu, we’re sorry to inform you that she only makes an appearance in this game’s sequel, the VR version of which is only playable on the PSVR 2. Big Lady or not, this is still one of the better Resident Evil games out there, and certainly one of the better VR games in 2023.

If you’ve already played RE7 through a standard controller and television, the story won’t be any different here. There are some gameplay differences to keep an eye on though, such as the ability to peek around corners and the somewhat shoddy graphics. That’s to be expected. It’s running on 2016 hardware that’s doing its utmost to keep you from throwing up all over it. It’s hardly noticeable when you’re in the game, running to (or from) whatever’s keeping you up at night.

Hitman 3

Perhaps the best stealth series ever made, IO Interactive’s Hitman, recently came to a close with the release of Hitman 3 (and the accompanying tie-in VR mode) in 2021. It’s the most balls-to-the-walls of any Hitman game we’ve seen yet, and that’s not lost once you make the switch over to VR. Since its release, the developers have added Hitman 3’s two predecessors to the game, allowing anyone with a VR headset to jump into any of the three titles.

Gameplay isn’t much different from your standard Hitman game. Sneak, eavesdrop and take out your targets. Or, let those Hardballers loose and start kicking ass guns akimbo. If you can think it, you can probably do it. Oh, it’s also the only Hitman game that gives you the ability to rub Agent 47’s head (for luck). That’s gotta be worth something.

Superhot VR

One could argue that the VR industry’s biggest selling point is its ability to throw you in someone else’s body and forget your own, at least for a while. Beat Saber makes you feel like a Jedi (or Sith, we don’t judge), Hitman makes you feel like a… well, hitman, and Superhot VR makes you feel like Neo from The Matrix.

Superhot’s strengths lie in its peculiar-yet-brilliant shooting mechanics. There’s a gimmick – because of course there is. Enemies, bullets, and pretty much everything else in this world only moves when you do. Bullets can still hurt you – but that’s where that handy time power comes in. You’ll have to shoot and throw things at your enemies in order to survive the minimal yet sprawling world. The inherently challenging gameplay has been eased to accommodate the VR player, though the core mechanics are largely unchanged, making for the same fun as the original.

Skyrim VR

In what’s become one of the biggest jokes of the last decade, Bethesda graced the world with yet another iteration of Skyrim, this time in VR. Still, it’s hard not to admit just how rad Skyrim is in VR. It’s packed to the brim with a massive open world, an interesting story and decent gameplay mechanics. Just like you’ve (probably) played 100 times now.

The VR version is no different, though there is a major graphics hit to consider if you’ve become accustomed to the current-gen versions of the game. Expect graphics closer to the original PS3 launch. Walking takes a bit of getting used to, with Bethesda deciding that short-form teleporting would ease the constant lurch of your stomach as your travel around the place. Whether this is your first adventure within Skyrim or your tenth, a playthrough in VR is well worth testing out.

No Man’s Sky

Everybody love’s a comeback story. And who has a better comeback story than Hello Games’ 2016 title No Man’s Sky? Riddled with bugs, and devoid of the features that creator Sean Murray oversold for years before release. That’s all in the past now, and Hello Games has been forgiven. That’s partly due to the tons of free DLC that the team has pumped out for the past six years, and the 2019 VR re-release.

The VR mode allows the player to explore, drift between planets, partake in warring space battles and dive into the ever-so-cathartic house-building mode headfirst. It’s a calming experience (unless you’re on the run, that’s on you) that’s only helped by the massive map containing 18 quintillion planets – all for your exploring pleasure. One that can’t be matched by many.

Tetris Effect: Connected

This may sound like we’re joking, but we’re deadly serious when we say that Tetris Effect deserves to be on this list as much as the rest of these titles do. It is a brilliant, colourful and energetic timewaster whose only goal is to make you feel like you’re a kid again playing Tetris on your old pink Gameboy. Except with, you know, much better graphics… and colour. It succeeds while offering players an entirely new outlook on the game (quite literally).

Made by the creators of Rez and Lumines, Tetris Effect comes in swinging with a beautiful soundtrack and psychedelic look at things. Listen out for the way the music changes once a piece is changed, effectively turning this into your own Tetris DJ. You can play this one without a VR headset, though we’d advise keeping it on for as long as you can stomach it.