While plenty of people call virtual reality niche, and for good reason, there's no shortage of competition in the space. From heavy-hitters like Apple and Meta with the Vision Pro and Quest 3 respectively, to small-yet-mighty offerings like the Pico 4, there's plenty of rivalries going on. And while PSVR 2 is a powerful headset tied down by the PS5, it seems like that could be changing this year.
When it comes to the best VR headsets, there's no doubt that the PSVR 2 is one of the best in terms of specs. Meta decided to focus on keeping things as a standalone package, while the PSVR 2 uses the PS5's power to give you a great time with some graphically-demanding experiences, such as Horizon: Call of the Mountain and Resident Evil Village VR. If the choice between the Quest 3 and the PSVR 2 boiled down to simply performance, the latter would clearly have the win.
However, specs aren't everything. PSVR 2 is a pricey accessory for the PS5 console, while the Quest 3 is a console in of itself. And by building a VR-ready PC, you can get even more games via PC while still remaining wireless (so long as you have good internet). That's including the fact that the PC can be used for productivity and standard gaming too.
It's no surprise that, while Meta Quest 3 is dominating Steam compared to its rivals, PlayStation's recent headset isn't on the list. For obvious reasons, of course, since the headset can't be used in conjunction with a PC. However, PlayStation is attempting to let users play their PSVR 2 headset with a PC, which is a promising move. Considering that big hits like VRChat and the beloved Rec Room aren't coming to the platform anytime soon, allowing PSVR 2 users to remove their shackles and join the PC Master Race will likely prove to be an invaluable decision in the future, even if it doesn't reap instant success.
But will it be enough? It's clear that the mainstream audience prefers to have a wireless experience, even if it is at the cost of performance. Many VR fans could see the writing on the wall as soon as PSVR 2 was announced, considering that the original headset from the company was a very limited offering that provided little reason to purchase it. A similar fate has occurred here, with games releasing on PSVR 2 few and far between, proving that console VR is likely dead. It's a shame, but no surprise, considering players would rather have options over being tied to a single platform.
I really hope that, as well as PC support for the PSVR 2, that the various exclusives will be brought to PC. The Horizon series has found great success on PC, with Horizon: Forbidden West joining Steam next month, so Call of the Mountain would certainly fit well joining SteamVR. Equally, I really, really, want to play Synapse, and I don't know if I can shell out £500 on another headset solely for one game. In fact, I definitely can't.
There's certainly going to be VR enthusiasts who would want a powerful headset tied to their PCs too, so overall, I see this as a positive that PlayStation is eagerly looking into PC support, even if it signals that maybe PSVR 2 isn't doing too great. Additional discounts would also be great when support lands, potentially giving PC and PS5 owners an excuse to spend some of their cash. It remains to be seen, but hopefully, PlayStation will make decisions like this at launch if a PSVR 3 ever comes.