PSVR 2 Ironically Has the Same Launch Problems as the Xbox Series X

Sony’s PlayStation VR2 officially launches today. You can read my review of the $550 headset for the PlayStation 5 here and my colleague Jen’s review of the jaw-dropping Horizon Call of the Mountain.

In my review, I praised the PSVR 2’s high-res displays, simple setup, and built-in haptic feedback in both the headset and controllers, among many things. The hardware is excellent, but my takeaway was that Sony needs more exclusive games for PSVR 2 other than ports of existing titles on headsets like Meta’s Quest 2 / Quest Pro.

And I was right. Yesterday, Sony revealed the full list of “launch window” games coming to the PSVR 2... and Meta conveniently pointed out to me that the majority of the games are already on Quest headsets — 42 out of 49 to be exact. That works out to 85 percent, which is a lot!

PSVR 2 launch window games

Below is the full lineup of PSVR 2 launch window games. I’ve highlighted the five games that are exclusive to PSVR 2 and not available on Quest or rival headsets.

1. After the Fall (Vertigo Games)
2. Altair Breaker (Thirdverse)
3. Before Your Eyes (Skybound Interactive, launch window)
4. Cave Digger 2: Dig Harder
5. Cities VR (Fast Travel Games)
6. Cosmonious High (Owlchemy)
7. Creed Rise to Glory: Championship Edition (Survios, launch window)
8. The Dark Pictures: Switchback (Supermassive, launch window)
9. Demeo (Resolution Games)
10. Drums Rock (Garage 51)
11. Dyschronia: Chronos Alternate (MyDearest Inc., Perp Games)
12. Fantavision 202X (Cosmo Machia, Inc.)
13. Garden of the Sea (Neat Corporation)
14. GORN (Devolver Digital, launch window)
15. Gran Turismo 7 (via free update to PS5 version of GT7)
16. Horizon Call of the Mountain (Firesprite, Guerrilla)
17. Job Simulator (Owlchemy)
18. Jurassic World Aftermath (Coatsink)
19. Kayak VR: Mirage (Better Than Life)
20. Kizuna AI – Touch the Beat! (Gemdrops, Inc.)
21. The Last Clockwinder (Pontoco/Cyan Worlds)
22. The Light Brigade (Funktronic Labs, purchase includes PS VR and PS VR2 versions)
23. Moss 1 & 2 Remaster (Polyarc)
24. NFL Pro Era (StatusPro, Inc., free PS VR2 upgrade)
25. No Man’s Sky (Hello Games, launch window)
26. Nock: Bow + Arrow Soccer (Normal VR LLC, launch window)
27. Pavlov VR (Vankrupt)
28. Pistol Whip (Cloudhead, free PS VR2 upgrade).
29. Puzzling Places (Realities.io, free upgrade)
30. Ragnarock (WanadevStudio, launch window)
31. Resident Evil Village (Capcom, via free update to PS5 version of RE Village)
32. Rez Infinite (Enhance)
33. RUNNER (Truant Pixel, LLC)
34. Song in the Smoke (17 Bit)
35. STAR WARS: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge (ILMxLAB)
36. Startenders: Intergalactic Bartending (free PS VR2 upgrade)
37. Swordsman VR (Sinn Studio Inc., free PS VR2 upgrade until May 2023)
38. Synth Riders (Kluge Interactive, free PS VR2 upgrade)
39. The Tale of Onogoro (Amata K.K)
40. Tentacular (Devolver)
41. Tetris Effect (Enhance)
42. Thumper (Drool LLC)
43. Townsmen VR (HandyGames)
44. Unplugged: Air Guitar (Vertigo Games)
45. Vacation Simulator (Owlchemy)
46. The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners: Ch. 2: Retribution (Skydance, launch window)
47. What the Bat (Triband)
48. Zenith: The Last City (Ramen VR, free PS VR2 upgrade)
49. Zombieland: Headshot Fever Reloaded (XR Games)

Fewer ports, more exclusive games

The number of Quest ports really drives home my point that Sony needs to attract developers to create exclusive titles for the PSVR 2. To justify the hefty $550 price (on top of a PS5 if you don’t already own one), there need to be games that make the hardware worth the money. High-res displays and eye-tracking are nice, but can only do so much to sell a pricey accessory.

For Meta, Sony’s port-filled lineup is a strength: why buy a PSVR 2 when you can get a Quest 2 that’s completely standalone and wireless for less?

The PSVR 2 isn’t the first gaming hardware to lack exclusive games that make it a must-buy. The Xbox Series X had the same issue at launch and post-launch, which is one reason why the PlayStation 5 leapfrogged it. Games — especially exclusive ones — sell hardware.

This game list is just for the PSVR 2 launch window. If Sony’s really committed to making PSVR 2 The Best VR Gaming Platform, it’s gotta open up its wallet and bring out the exclusives. And not just a handful of big ones a year — there needs to be wave after wave of VR-first games that make players come back for more. I know VR games add more to development time, but a big publisher like Capcom announcing on PSVR 2 launch day that it’s just “begun development” on Resident Evil 4’s VR mode feels insulting.