My heart wants the PSVR 2. But my head says don't be daft

The reviews are in: tech-wise, the PSVR 2 is brilliant. But is that enough to make it a must-buy?

PSVR 2 virtual reality gaming headset next to Aloy
(Image credit: Sony)

At long last, the PSVR 2 is here. Our very own Mike Lowe has donned Sony's best VR headset and tested it until he was dizzy, and from his in-depth PSVR 2 review it's very clear that this is a quantum leap over the original PSVR. Mike "can't imagine seeing a more impressive piece of tech grace my desk in 2023 (and it's only February!)".

Other reviewers agree: it's an amazing piece of hardware. But they also agree with Mike's caveat: at this price, and with some question marks over the PSVR 2's longevity, it's not for everyone. 

And right now, sadly, that everyone includes me.

Why I'm going to wait before deciding to buy PSVR 2

My eldest asked me yesterday if she could play Superhot VR on the PSVR; I've got the first generation of Sony's headset. The answer to that one is no, because the breakout box and cables for the PSVR aren't currently connected, I'm not entirely sure where the actual headset is and I really couldn't be bothered trying to set it all up again.

But that's okay: we've got an Oculus Quest. And when we finally located it, discovered that for once it's actually charged up and remembered which hand is which for the controllers, my eldest finally got to punch some virtual baddies in the face – for about fifteen minutes until she got bored. And that'll probably be it for another few months.

That's why I'm not rushing to buy PSVR 2. The price is a lot, even for a gamer with poor impulse control and access to credit like me. But it's not the price. It's that my existing VR headsets have barely been used since the initial novelty wore off, and that novelty wore off fast. The problem with VR gaming has never been the tech. It's been the games.

Of all the titles for PSVR 2, the only one I'm really excited about is Horizon: Call of the Mountain. And that's, what? Six hours of gameplay? And then I'm done. Half-Life: Alyx might come to PSVR 2, which is exciting too. But that's just two games I want to play, only one of which is confirmed. 

I'm with Mike on this: without an impressive list of future titles, buying PSVR 2 right now feels really risky to me. I've already got two VR headsets whose main job is gathering dust and getting in the way when I'm reaching for my PS5 controller or my Steam Deck. And right now, the PSVR 2 is just too expensive for me to risk making them a trio.

Carrie Marshall

Writer, musician and broadcaster Carrie Marshall has been covering technology since 1998 and is particularly interested in how tech can help us live our best lives. Her CV is a who’s who of magazines, newspapers, websites and radio programmes ranging from T3, Techradar and MacFormat to the BBC, Sunday Post and People’s Friend. Carrie has written more than a dozen books, ghost-wrote two more and co-wrote seven more books and a Radio 2 documentary series. When she’s not scribbling, she’s the singer in Glaswegian rock band HAVR (havrmusic.com).