Rumored Apple Vision Pro support for PSVR 2 controller is the boost it needs – and not just for gaming
- The Apple Vision Pro could soon support Sony’s PSVR 2 controllers
- Apple and Sony are currently in talks to make this possible, rumors suggest
- The benefits can go beyond just gaming and include visionOS apps
The Apple Vision Pro hasn’t really taken off as the tech giant had hoped, and one reason could be its lackluster gaming support. Currently you have to control games using only your hands and gestures in the air, which is far from ideal in titles where precision and accuracy are crucial.
That could all change in the near future, as Apple is reportedly in talks with Sony to make its PlayStation VR2 controllers compatible with the Vision Pro. That would give Apple fans a much better way to interact with games while using the advanced virtual reality (VR) headset.
In his weekly magazine Power On NewsletterBloomberg journalist Mark Gurman has claimed that Apple and Sony are currently in talks to bring the PlayStation VR2 controllers to the Vision Pro. The two companies originally planned to announce the deal “weeks ago,” Gurman says, but the rollout has reportedly been postponed for now.
If Vision Pro users can connect Sony’s PlayStation VR2 controllers to Apple’s headset, it could finally help the Vision Pro compete with some of the best VR headsets on the market in terms of gaming features. That could address a major weakness that Apple’s flagship currently faces.
Benefits that go beyond gaming
Apple isn’t just talking to Sony; Gurman also states that Apple has been talking to game developers about integrating support for Sony’s controllers into their Vision Pro games.
Many games made for Apple’s headset already support standard PlayStation and Xbox controllers, but these devices are designed for living room gaming, not VR headsets. Adding compatibility with the PlayStation VR2 controllers, on the other hand, would add a much more VR-friendly option for gamers.
The benefits of adding hand controller support were felt outside of gaming as well. Thanks to the increased accuracy that these controllers bring, anyone who does precision work with the Vision Pro headset – such as editing photos and videos – would benefit from the new control method. And Gurman says Sony’s controllers can also be used to navigate Apple’s visionOS operating system, which some users may prefer to Apple’s current eye and hand tracking method.
Funnily enough, Sony recently announced that the PlayStation VR2 would receive hand tracking support, which would be a sort of mirror image of what is apparently happening with the Vision Pro.
Sony has never sold the PlayStation VR2 controllers as standalone units and they have always been included with the PlayStation VR2 headset. That means Sony would have to start producing and packaging them themselves, but Gurman believes this is just a “hiccup” in the process and not a major problem.
With work apparently well underway to bring Sony’s controllers to the Vision Pro, we could soon see a fix for one of the main issues holding Apple’s headset back. However, whether it’s enough to make it a mainstream success remains to be seen.