Tech

Sony Unveiled New Hollow Orb-Like VR Controller for PS5

By Bill Toulas / March 18, 2021

Sony has presented the next-gen PS5 VR controller, and the first thing that strikes us is the unique design that looks nothing like the DualSense. The shape is a hollow orb for the user to put their hands in, achieving great ergonomics - while also taking the gaming immersion to new levels.

Sony says this design offers an unprecedented degree of freedom as there are basically no hand or arm movement constraints. In fact, Sony’s engineers tested the new controller on a range of hand sizes and different shapes, so the new product should be a good and snugly fit for everyone out there.

Source: Sony

There are the four PlayStation buttons in terms of features, and the two analog thumbsticks are still there - but separated into groups of two, one for each hand. This may require some time for the user to get acclimated to using their left-hand fingers for the function buttons, but it shouldn’t be anything too crazy to get used to.

On the side, there are the adaptive L1-L2 and R1-R2 triggers, similar to what is found in the DualSense controller. They feature the same adaptive tension feedback you’d expect, so Sony has made no functional discounts there. The same applies to the haptic feedback, which is still present, even if a tad bit changed to be optimized for the new form factor.

Source: Sony

Where things are taken further compared to the regular PlayStation controllers is the existence of VR tracking by the new headset, enabling the wearer to “see” their hands on the headset’s screen, and also the ability to detect finger touches.

So, even when you’re not pressing any buttons, the VR headset will be able to tell where your fingers lie and how your hand looks at any time, representing it faithfully on the screen. This opens the way for using natural gestures in PS5 VR games, so it introduces some very interesting possibilities.

The new VR headset hasn’t been seen or leaked yet, so we have no idea what it will look like, but the new VR controller certainly looks very cool. Obviously, no prices have been announced yet, as this is just a pre-release revelation of the controller. When the product launch time comes, Sony could present something slightly different in terms of design and its specifications.



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