Does PSVR 2 work on PS4?

Is PlayStation VR2 compatible with the PlayStation 4? We've got some bad news...

(Credit: The Shortcut)

If you’re eager to try the next big thing in VR gaming but don’t have a PS5, you may be wondering whether PSVR 2 will work on PS4.

Unfortunately, PS4 and PS4 Pro owners are out of luck when it comes to Sony’s new headset. The many PSVR 2 games currently available have been designed specifically to take full advantage of the new headset’s top-of-the-line hardware and leverage the stronger processing power of the PS5. Even the PSVR 2 cable, which can be extended, is USB-C and connects to the front of the PlayStation 5.

As impressive as the PSVR 2 specs are, the headset isn’t a standalone device and needs to be hooked up to a PlayStation 5. That’s right, a PS5. A PS4 or PS4 Pro won’t cut it, and can’t be used with Sony’s next-gen headset. Perhaps that’s why PSVR 2 sales have been so slow.

Desktop PCs tell a similar story. If you’re wondering whether the PSVR 2 will work on PC, the answer is again, no. That’s a blow for those who were hoping to experience PC VR-specific games like Half-Life: Alyx.

That limited platform compatibility is a shame, for sure, and one of the device’s biggest snags. The Meta Quest 2 is a fully standalone headset that will work right out of the box or when hooked up to a PC. Although the surface PSVR 2 price is appealing for the specs, you should weigh up the differences between PSVR 2 vs Meta Quest 2 carefully and decide if you really want to shell out an extra few hundred dollars on a PS5 just to use Sony’s next-gen headset.

Will PSVR 2 ever work on PS4?

It’s extremely unlikely that Sony will ever introduce a firmware update to make the PSVR 2 compatible with the PS4, partly because the console wouldn’t be powerful enough to run the vast majority of PSVR 2 games and doesn’t even have the right connection port.

Like all video game and console manufacturers, Sony wants players to cough up the money for new, pricey hardware rather than stay attached to their old devices. PSVR 2 isn’t even backward compatible with original PlayStation VR games, so there’s little to no hope its platform compatibility will be expanded.

In many ways, it’s unsurprising that the PSVR 2 has left the PS4 in the dust. We’re already nearly three years into the lifespan of the PS5 and Sony will be eager to push its virtual reality technology to the very limits of fidelity and reactivity. At almost a decade old, the PS4 just isn’t up to the task and can’t provide the processing power required.

Now the PS5 stock shortage has come to an end, it’s thankfully easier than ever to buy Sony’s flagship console. But if you don’t want to drop that kind of money on a VR system, you might be better off waiting for the Meta Quest 3 to appear later this year.

Last updated: September 8, 2023