Hit VR rhythm gameBeat Saberis officially coming to Sony’sPlayStation VR2headset, according to Sony CEO Jim Ryan’s announcement at the CES 2023 press conference, but a release date was not announced. The game is currently available for the original PS VR, and PC VR via Steam, Oculus Store and Humble Bundle.The PS VR 2 will only be compatible withPlayStation 5consoles, as it contains many advanced features like new controllers with haptic feedback, adaptive triggers, 3D audio, and inside-out tracking. Therefore, Sony’s decision not to make old PS VR games backwards compatible is a logical one.Not to mention Sony itselfjustified not including supportfor old-generation VR games by saying its new headset is set to deliver a truly next-generation VR experience. It’s currently unclear whether Beat Saber will be an exception to this, or if the developers intend on creating a brand new version of Beat Saber for the next-generation of headset, as opposed to a standard port.RELATED:Parappa The Rapper Was the OG Rhythm GameAnother reason for this surprise port might be some limitations related to the previous PlayStation hardware. The original PlayStation VR did not support 360-degree experiences. That’s why there are no 360° levels on PS VR despite being supported on other VR platforms like HTC Vive and Oculus Quest.The tracking function on PS VR doesn’t work best with expert-level songs as much as the other VR headsets, and support for custom mods and songs is totally absent. These are all issues that the upcoming PSVR 2 is expected to address in some way or another by design.
Beat Saber originally shipped with only ten songs, but it continued to receive downloadable song packages after launch from prominent artists such as Imagine Dragons, Linkin Park, Lady Gaga, Fall Out Boy, Billie Elish, Skrillex, and BTS, as well as its own original songs.
The game currently has a very thriving modding community, and even though the development studio was purchased by Facebook in 2019, the companyexpressed complete supportfor the value modding brings to Beat Saber, if done within legal constraints and policies. That means modding is still likely to be added to PS VR 2 down the road if Sony decides to integrate it, but only time will tell.
