What you need to know
- Sony's PlayStation VR2 is launching on February 22, 2023 for $549.99.
- 11 new games were announced for the upcoming VR system, some of which will be available when the headset launches in February.
- Gamers will need a PlayStation 5 in order to use the PS VR2.
Sony has been a bit coy about the PlayStation VR ever since it began teasing the headset last year, but the company is finally taking the wraps off everything including 11 new games for Sony's upcoming next-generation VR headset.
When the PS VR2 launches in February, it'll have at least a handful of games available to play, including many of the games announced today.
Several other games announced are actually already on our best Quest 2 games list but will be getting graphical upgrades for the PS5 hardware, which is a requirement to use a PS VR2 headset.
In addition to the games below, the stealthy Jurassic World: Aftermath Collection was announced as a 2023 title. There's no trailer for this one just yet — meaning it's likely coming later in 2023 — but it's a game that combines Jurassic World: Aftermath Part 1 and Aftermath Part 2 into a single frightening package. Developer Coatsink says it'll be adding substantial graphical upgrades and a new Dino Viewer feature for the PS VR2 release.
Hello Neighbor: Search & Rescue
Listen, if Hello Neighbor wasn't creepy enough on a flat screen, it's going to absolutely scare the pants off of you in VR. For its first VR foray, this PSVR and PS VR2 title will set you and a handful of friends with the unenviable task of rescuing a friend trapped in the basement of the creepy neighbor, Mr. Peterson.
Based on the trailer, it looks like you'll be able to naturally open doors slowly — one of the many things that made Half-Life: Alyx feel so real — pry off boards and other obstacles with a crowbar, and sneak around your neighbor's house to find keys and solve puzzles that will eventually end in your friend's freedom. Are you brave enough to try?
This one goes up for preorder on November 15 and is available for PSVR and PS VR2. You'll get both versions for the same price with crossbuy!
The Dark Pictures: Switchback VR
If you enjoyed Until Dawn: Rush of Blood, the developers have a whole new adventure planned that's straight from the universe of The Dark Pictures Anthology. Players familiar with games like Man of Medan, Little Hope, or House of Ashes will immediately be familiar with the universe here, which puts players in a "fast-paced roller coaster action-horror-shooter."
Based on the trailer, you can expect some incredible (and frightening) visuals to accompany you along the way. But this isn't just an on-rails shooter where you repeat the same levels over and over again. Instead, you'll be choosing different paths along the way, and the developer says no two playthroughs will be the same. There's nothing quite like horror games in VR, and a horror action game for the PS VR2's launch seems like it's just what the doctor ordered.
Cities: VR — Enhanced Edition
Cities: VR was impressive enough on the Quest 2 hardware, but we fully expect it to shine like never before when running on a PS5 and a PS VR2 headset. This VR adaptation of the popular city-builder game Cities: Skylines gives players the freedom to design their city from any angle. Zoom out for a birds-eye-view of things to make management easier, or zoom way in to get a ground-level view of the beautiful cities you're going to create.
The PS VR2 version also includes enhanced haptics and tweaked controls to better fit the PS VR2's new controllers. Players will also be able to build bigger cities thanks to the PS5's more powerful hardware! This one launches alongside the PS VR2 in February and is up for preorder as of November 15.
Crossfire: Sierra Squad
Crossfire: Sierra Squad is a brand-new first-person shooter built for PS VR2. It's a story-driven FPS title with the ability to play through the story either in single-player or with up to three friends in four-player co-op. While this one isn't launching alongside the PS VR2 in February, it is expected to land sometime in 2023.
Visually, the game looks pretty spectacular. Players will head through realistic military situations with their squad in the middle of warzones, tasked with completing objectives in over 60 campaign missions. This is designed to be more arcade-like than a realistic simulation, though, so don't worry if you're not properly trained for combat conditions.
The developers say there are several gameplay modes in the works and an online leaderboard to compete with. You can even use the PS VR2 controllers' finger touch detection to give in-game signals to teammates so you don't audibly alert the enemy.
The Light Brigade
The Light Brigade is another new VR game with roguelike elements and will be available for both the original PSVR and the upcoming PS VR2 with preorders starting on November 15. The game encourages clever tactical gameplay with a mixture of guns and magic and, based on the trailer, seems to have a rather poetic narrative.
Cosmonious High
Cosmonious High is yet another gem from the folks that created Job Simulator and Vacation Simulator. In this one, you'll be in the shoes of a unique alien that joins the roster of other students in a high school in outer space. Along with your classmates and your unique set of telekinetic powers, you'll be completing assignments, helping friends overcome problems, and just generally having a great time in the colorful halls of Cosmonious High.
The puzzles in Cosmonious High go right along with what you would expect from the team that made the Job and Vacation Simulator games. Combine elements you never would expect, interact with hundreds of objects around the school, and do just about anything you want so long as the principal doesn't kick you out. The PS VR2 version includes beautiful 4K HDR visuals, improved controller haptics and new HMD haptics, real-time shadows and dynamic lighting, shorter load times, and support for Sony's new 3D audio spatializer.
Preorders start soon and PS Plus members get 20% off the cost of the game.
Pistol Whip
Pistol Whip is one of those games that every VR player must experience, so it comes as no surprise that the game is launching alongside the PS VR2. While it's also available on the original PSVR, the PS VR2's upgraded tracking capabilities will make the game even better, as players regularly need to duck, dodge, and weave their way through bullets in this on-rails rhythm shooter.
The PS VR2 version includes "fine-tuned haptics" to better suit the PS VR2's new controllers. It also supports the Adaptive Triggers, so pulling the trigger feels different on every single gun, and finger touch detection makes it look and feel more like you're holding each weapon differently. It's also running in 4K with HDR support and has 3D audio support, so each boom feels more like it fits with the tune of the song than ever.
Zenith: The Last City
We called Zenith: The Last City the VR MMO you've been waiting for when it debuted on Quest, PSVR, and PC VR in January of this year. Since then, the game has seen substantial updates including new player classes, dungeons, combat overhauls and rebalancing, and plenty more to keep players coming back for more. Unlike most MMORPGs, this one doesn't have a subscription cost.
The PS VR2 version of the game looks to feature substantially improved visuals over the original PSVR and even PC VR versions, based on the trailer. Ready to get fighting, flying, exploring, and cooking in VR? Zenith should be available at the PS VR2's launch with preorders coming soon.
After the Fall
After the Fall is one of our absolute favorite multiplayer VR games on Quest for a good reason. It channels the energy of the Left 4 Dead series but changes up the environments and mechanics just enough to feel unique. Players venture out in squads of four — any non-human-controlled players are controlled by AI — and hunt down hordes of zombies to acquire "juice" that can be exchanged for new weapons, upgrades, and player skins.
After the Fall has received several free updates since it launched, including seasonal content, new maps, weapons, and features. PS VR2-exclusive features include upgraded haptics support — one of which is the unique head-mounted haptic motors in the PS VR2 headset — and substantially upgraded graphics over the Quest version.
Tentacular
We reviewed Tentacular on the Quest 2 when it launched in March of this year and found it to be an absolute joy. As Devolver Digital's second published VR game, you can expect plenty of quirky humor, unique gameplay mechanics, and bizarre twists and turns in the game's story along the way.
In Tentacular, you'll play as a giant alien octopus that calls a human-populated island its home. While some residents are wary of the giant creature, others have befriended it and call to its aid in conducting science experiments, doing important jobs and, most importantly, having fun while solving glorious physics-based puzzles.
