Sony’s hour-long PlayStation Showcase was packed with announcements big and small, but its flagship console wasn’t the sole focus of the event.
Sony made sure to give PSVR 2 some much-needed love in a solid block of announcements dedicated to the PS5’s VR headset. Admittedly, there wasn’t much revealed that’ll likely move the sales needle in any particular direction, but what was shown will be a decent injection of titles while we wait on more meaningful exclusives.
If you missed the PlayStation Showcase when it was streamed live, or if you’re looking for a neat and tidy compilation of all its PSVR 2 announcements, read on to learn more about what’s coming to the peripheral throughout 2023 and beyond.
Resident Evil 4: VR Mode
- Release date: TBC
We’ve known about Resident Evil 4's VR mode since the remake was initially announced, and it looks to be following in the footsteps of Resident Evil Village and the excellent Resident Evil 4 VR for Oculus Quest 2. It looks like the full campaign will be present here, and feature VR-specific mechanics such as a first-person view and active reloading.
Arizona Sunshine 2
- Release date: TBC 2023
Arizona Sunshine 2 is a sequel to the beloved zombie shooter that made a splash on the original PlayStation VR. Little gameplay was shown, but went big on explosions, gore and tongue-in-cheek dialogue. It’ll be available on PSVR 2 sometime this year.
Crossfire: Sierra Squad
- Release date: TBC 2023
Crossfire: Sierra Squad looks to bring high-octane tactical shooting to PSVR 2. A good amount of gameplay was shown, showing fast-paced shootouts taking place in tight corridors with plenty of blind spots. The trailer reveals a “Summer 2023” launch window, so expect the game to launch sometime between June and September.
Synapse
- Release date: July 4, 2023
Synapse was initially revealed at a prior State of Play presentation. But we got a better look at the mind-bending shooter at the PlayStation Showcase. Its abstract visuals and narrative are certainly its most intriguing parts, and might appeal to anyone looking for a shooter that strays from realistic norms.
Beat Saber
- Release date: Available now!
Lastly, the PlayStation Showcase shadow dropped Beat Saber’s PSVR 2 launch. The popular rhythm game is available to buy right now on PS5. The reveal trailer was accompanied by the announcement of a Queen music pack, too.
One step forward, two steps back
If you weren’t planning on buying PSVR 2 anytime soon, then the PlayStation Showcase likely wouldn’t have changed your mind. On one hand, it’s obviously great that more games are coming, but it’s still seriously lacking in any hard-hitting exclusives.
PSVR 2 doesn’t necessarily need its own Half-Life: Alyx, but if Sony is committed to seeing its headset to success, then I’d really like to see PlayStation Studios leverage its excellent suite of IPs on PSVR 2. Horizon: Call of the Mountain and Gran Turismo 7’s VR mode are good starts, but we really need to start seeing more of that.
Sony’s big PlayStation Showcase was the perfect time to make a case for PSVR 2, but once again, the peripheral, despite being one of the best VR headsets, was treated like an afterthought. I hope we’ll get a more PSVR 2-centric State of Play sometime soon, and potentially a price drop.
