Sony reveals PlayStation VR2 and a new Horizon game

Bloomberg

Sony Group Corp announced an exclusive game for its next-generation virtual reality (VR) headset, dubbed PSVR2,
charging up the platform’s appeal just as metaverse hype intensifies.
The Japanese entertainment and electronics giant introduced a teaser video for the title, from hit in-house franchise Horizon, while unveiling PlayStation VR2 with an upgraded headset and VR2 Sense controllers. Promising increased visual fidelity, head and eye tracking as well as vibration feedback built into the headset, the new hardware targets ever greater immersion and could prove among the popular gateways into metaverse offerings from the likes of Epic Games Inc.
Horizon Call of the Mountain, developed in part by Sony-owned Guerilla Games, will be among the first to tap into the increased capabilities of the new PSVR2, with studio director Jan-Bart van Beek writing that the game “has been designed to push hardware technology, innovation, and gameplay,” in a blog post. It will build on the success of action role-playing title Horizon Zero Dawn and expand the fantasy universe with a new environment and playable character, according to the developers.
Sony’s next-generation wired gaming goggles, which plug into the PlayStation 5 home console, will feature OLED panels with increased resolution from the first generation and a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz. The company didn’t elaborate on the headset’s pricing and release date.
The original PlayStation VR headset was released in 2016 as a PlayStation 4 peripheral and went on to become one of the best-selling products in its category. Sony is gearing up for the incoming successor to be a larger success. Enthusiasm around metaverse concepts that expand to immersive experiences beyond games may help drive interest.
Still, Sony’s release of the new product may be challenged by chronic chip shortages and supply-chain disruptions that have pushed electronics companies and automakers to delay or cut back production plans several times over the past year. Delivery times for chips rose again in December to more than 25 weeks, the longest wait time since tracking began in 2017.

Sony explores selling EVs
Sony Group Corp is exploring the commercial launch of its own electric vehicle, joining tech rivals like Xiaomi and Foxconn in a rush into the red-hot industry.
Sony Chief Executive Officer Kenichiro Yoshida announced the establishment of Sony Mobility Inc. at the company’s CES 2022 keynote event. The tech giant rolled out an SUV-type EV prototype to accompany the announcement, though no details on pricing or release date were made available. Sony is a leader in making sensors for autonomous and self-aware vehicles, a growing segment of its imaging business that spans most of the world’s smartphones and digital cameras.
“We are exploring the commercial launch of Sony EV,” Yoshida said at the press conference. “Sony is well-positioned as a creative entertainment company to redefine mobility.”
The Tokyo-based company unveiled its first prototype vehicle, dubbed Vision-S, in 2020 at the same event. Designed in collaboration with auto industry players including Magna International Inc. and Robert Bosch GmbH, it was a concept car to showcase Sony technologies covering its core strengths of entertainment and sensors.
Tech companies from China’s Xiaomi Corp. to Taiwan’s Foxconn Technology Group have ventured into EVs to diversify beyond mobile phones and PCs. Apple Inc.’s own ambitions for an electric car have been among the most scrutinized, with Bloomberg News reporting in November that the world’s No. 1 tech firm is accelerating development in the sector.