At this stage, we’ve heard a lot of technical talk about the PlayStation VR 2. Eye-tracking, headset feedback, 4K HDR, and specs like that are all well and good, but for many consumers, it all boils down to what they can actually play on the device. PlayStation boss Shuhei Yoshida believes a new wave of VR indie games will arrive when the PSVR 2 launches.
Yoshida is the head of PlayStation’s Independent Developer Initiative, and he recently appeared at GI.biz’s annual GI Live summit. During the 30-minute fireside chat, he declared his belief in the indie scene. “There are big games like Horizon: Call of the Mountain and Resident Evil Village, and yes, they’re amazing, but it’s the indies, in my mind, that really take the risk because they want to make games on VR,” he stated. “Indies have been waiting for this next VR boom, like Mizuguchi-san.” Yoshida is referencing Rez and Tetris Effect’s Tetsuya Mizuguchi there, as the director has previously expressed interest in developing a game for PSVR 2.
At present, No Man’s Sky is the most notable indie title that has been promised for PSVR 2. As Yoshida stated, VR more often leans into triple-A spinoffs or extra content for existing games. The aforementioned Horizon: Call of the Mountain falls into the former category, while a planned PSVR 2 version of Resident Evil Village will give players a (literal) new perspective on the 2021 horror game.
It’s worth pointing out that the original PSVR headset did see a handful of enjoyable indie games. The list includes dark rhythm game Thumper, the lovable storybook adventure Moss, and its sequel. However, PSVR 2 will not be backwards compatible with PSVR 1 games, which hamstrings that library a bit. Along the same lines, the PSVR 2 will not be compatible with PC games, although that could change in the future.
