PlayStation VR2 will get hand-tracking assist shortly

Merely when it appeared like PC assist was Sony’s final phrase on the PlayStation VR2, the company is exhibiting off hand monitoring for the digital actuality headset. As observed by UploadVR, Sony has been demoing controller-free hand-tracking assistance on the PSVR2 at SIGGRAPH Asia 2024, a tutorial conference and tradeshow focused on “laptop computer graphics and interactive methods.”

Sony hasn’t launched any official announcement explaining the model new attribute, nevertheless a printed description of what it’s presenting at SIGGRAPH does level out that hand-tracking assistance is “obtainable with the latest enchancment bundle of PlayStation 5.” Blended seen that Sony had filed a patent for numerous completely completely different hand-tracking choices in May 2023, nevertheless that’s the major event of that work engaged on an exact headset.

Furthermore feeling further pure than swinging spherical a controller, hand-tracking permits for further nuanced actions and controls in apps and video video games. For those who press a digital button in a recreation with hand monitoring, you might probably not really feel the haptic ideas you’d get from gripping a controller, nevertheless what you’re doing collectively along with your hand is way extra like precise life. A video of the demo shared on X reveals hand-tracking engaged on a PSVR2 with the identical diploma of fidelity and latency to hand-tracking on a Quest 3, so it seems to be as if Sony’s attribute may go correctly.

Whereas it’s weird that the company hasn’t turned this into an announcement however, the reality that hand-tracking assist exists is an efficient sign for headset homeowners that Sony stays to be invested. The PSVR 2 was launched in 2023 as a robust, if expensive, piece of VR {{hardware}}. Points like headset haptics, eye-tracking and an necessary first-party recreation in Horizon VR: Title of the Mountain made it stand out. Nevertheless since then, the headset hasn’t seen virtually the assistance it should catch on. Predominant inside studios haven’t developed many VR video video games, and Sony has laid off builders from studios which have, identical to the creators of Title of the Mountain, Firesprite. In June, Android Central reported that Sony had moreover severely reduce its funds for future VR enchancment.

The discharge of the PS VR2 PC adaptor in August 2024 appeared like the final word nail throughout the coffin. If Sony wasn’t going to make further video video games, then at least you might play by way of the large library of PC VR video video games on Steam. Hand-tracking assist could not indicate Sony’s dedication to the VR headset has modified since then, nevertheless it is a sign that the PSVR2 can improve even when it’s not at all a priority.