Sony Interactive Entertainment has unveiled the new controller for its recently-announced next-gen PlayStation VR for the PlayStation 5.

According to PlayStation Blog and Platform Planning & Management Senior Vice President Hideaki Nishino:

“Our new VR controller speaks to our mission of achieving a much deeper sense of presence and stronger feeling of immersion in VR experiences.

It will build upon the innovation we introduced with the DualSense wireless controller, which changed how games “feel” on PS5 by unlocking a new way to tap into the sense of touch.

Now we’re bringing that innovation to VR gaming.”

Design

Gone is the wand-like PlayStation Move controllers; replaced with a new unique design, which takes on an “orb” shape that allows you to hold the controller naturally while playing with a high degree of freedom.

The new controller was also designed with great ergonomics in mind, so it’s well-balanced and comfortable to hold in each of your hands.

Features

The new VR controller enables players to feel and interact with games in a much more visceral way. There are several features, including key features from the DualSense controller, which match our vision for what next-generation VR games can be:

• Adaptive triggers: Each VR controller (Left and Right) includes an adaptive trigger button that adds palpable tension when pressed, similar to what’s found in the DualSense controller. If you’ve played a PS5 game, you’ll be familiar with the tension in the L2 or R2 buttons when you press them, such as when you’re drawing your bow to fire an arrow. When you take that kind of mechanic and apply it to VR, the experience is amplified to the next level.

• Haptic feedback: The new controller will have haptic feedback optimized for its form factor, making every sensation in the game world more impactful, textured and nuanced. When you’re traversing through rocky desert or trading blows in melee combat, you’ll feel the difference, magnifying the extraordinary visual and audio experience that’s so central to VR.

• Finger touch detection: The controller can detect your fingers without any pressing in the areas where you place your thumb, index, or middle fingers. This enables you to make more natural gestures with your hands during gameplay.

• Tracking: The VR controller is tracked by the new VR headset through a tracking ring across the bottom of the controller.

• Action buttons/analog sticks: The Left controller contains one analog stick, the triangle and square buttons, a “grip” button (L1), trigger button (L2) and Create button. The Right controller contains one analog stick, the cross and circle buttons, a “grip” button (R1), trigger button (R2) and Options button. The “grip” button can be used to pick up in-game objects, as one example.

The new PlayStation VR will connect to PS5 with a single cord to simplify setup and improve ease-of-use while enabling a high-fidelity visual experience. One of the innovations will be a new VR controller, which will incorporate some of the key features found in the DualSense wireless controller, along with a focus on great ergonomics.

However, Sony confirmed that the new PlayStation VR for PS5 won’t be launching in 2021, so we’ll have to wait a while longer yet for the future of virtual reality to arrive.