Apple and Sony Still Working to Bring VR Gaming Controller Support to Vision Pro

[MacRumors]

Apple and Sony are still collaborating to bring support for PlayStation VR2 hand controllers to the Vision Pro headset, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports.

Sony PlayStation VR2 Sense Controller​

In December, Gurman said that the partnership has been in development for several months and would introduce Sony's VR controllers as an optional accessory for Vision Pro users. He noted that PS5 and Xbox controllers are already supported by Vision Pro, but they aren't optimized for virtual reality experiences, lacking the six degrees of freedom (6DOF) needed for precise VR gaming controls.

Writing in his latest "Power On" newsletter, Gurman reaffirmed that the feature is still in development. He now expects a visionOS software update later this year to introduce the feature.

Gurman claims that beyond gaming, the controllers could be used to controlling the operating system with more precision. While it likely won't "do anything to turn around the Vision Pro's sluggish sales," Gurman said "it would be a nice step for Apple to show that it still cares about gamers."

Article Link: Apple and Sony Still Working to Bring VR Gaming Controller Support to Vision Pro

 

[Kylo83]

Why dont they just make their own and admit it needed them for gaming

 

[hieranonymous]

Sony is super-weird about the PSVR2 controllers. They can’t currently be purchased separately from the headset, which means that if you have to replace a faulty controller for some reason, Sony makes you send in the headset too. I’m sure the negotiations with Apple have been torturous on this basis.

 

[Mr_Ed]

Gurman claims that beyond gaming, the controllers could be used to controlling the operating system with more precision.

Gee, you mean using just your hands and finger gestures is not precise enough? Shocking!

While it likely won't "do anything to turn around the Vision Pro's sluggish sales," Gurman said "it would be a nice step for Apple to show that it still cares about gamers."

How many times has Apple tried to convince us they “care about gamers” in the last 30 years? Please.

 

[iBreatheApple]

Isn’t that weird? I know Samsung will make components for Apple products, for example… but making a controller for a competitor? I also know that AVP is so much more than just VR gaming…. IDK. As I type/think this out maybe it’s not too far fetched. Still kinda surprising.

 

[emmab2006]

Hmm.. meta quest 3 , with controllers , and established gaming store. with plenty of games...Or , A Product which has no known purpose other than to show off whats already infront of you , a TV... sorry but it will never be a full gaming machine because apple do not take gaming seriously.

 

[harmonthe3rd]

Can't wait to see how this plays out.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

And the games to take full advantage of this come from where exactly?

Apple decided it wanted to be Netflix Jr Boutique and set aside fairly sizable money, dedicated talent and focus on AppleTV+. To some degree, that has worked: there is original, exclusive content, some of which is highly-rated entertainment.

Apple has spun about being serious about gaming [this time... again] but has set aside no money, dedicated talent and focus for an AppleGaming+ equivalent. Meanwhile, the actual gaming competition do exactly that: lots of money, lots of dedicated talent, lots of focus... and they get just about all of the games and have just about all of the games in the pipeline.

"Build it and they will come" doesn't work well. But money speaks LOUDLY and Apple is not exactly starving in that way (see last earnings report). Create an AppleGaming+ with only the SAME budget, staff size & focus as AppleTV+ and great games will come. Else, toss the ball entirely to developers and developers will choose to go where the easier & bigger money exists in well-established ways.

 

[Mr_Ed]

Why dont they just make their own and admit it needed them for gaming

Probably because gaming is always just an afterthought at Apple.

 

[iZac]

I really like the PSVR 2 controllers, they integrate the infra red ring in a manner that actually doubles as a guard against you smacking your hands against things.

I also much prefer the PSVR 2 forehead / halo head strap that lets the headset hang in front of your face rather than press it in. I'd love if Apple could implement that into whatever Vision Pro spec bump is incoming.

Oh, imagine if Apple are cooperating with Sony to try and implement PSVR 2 remote play onto the Vision Pro. It's not like the Vision Pro would cannibalise the pathetic PSVR 2 sales because it's 10x the price, but offers a lot of value-add to the Vision Pro.

 

[wonderings]

Gee, you mean using just your hands and finger gestures is not precise enough? Shocking!


How many times has Apple tried to convince us they “care about gamers” in the last 30 years? Please.

and how many times do Apple users think they are going to get good gaming on a Mac?

For the price tag of the Vision Pro they really should be going the next level for controllers and have haptic gloves. That would truly set it apart and make it ahead of everything else by miles. Technology is all there, just need a mega corp like Apple to do the mass production and make it happen.

 

[Kiwamu]

I would glaldy switch to Apple if they made strides in gaming like Valve did with Linux gaming with their SteamOs for their Steam Deck (and through that Linux operating systems in general).

Though maybe they fear if they make it a too transparent and open process, people would still mac compatible games on Steam (with just listing the requirements on Steam) and not get 30% if they would go through the AppStore and needing a special version there.

It falls back everytime to the studios to make the hard work...

 

[mandrake2016]

apple needs to stop acting like they are good for gaming

my next big computing purchase will not run an apple OS

it is literally money from:

(a) not purchasing vision pro (did a store demo, cool! if it was $999.00, and had content)
(b) returning IPA (begrudgingly keeping IPP, IPOS is garbage usability, unusable for gaming)
(c) not buying the many ass backwards Mac Pros (still on MBP '19, so burnt by this model's heat issues)
(d) not upgrading the stagnant iPhone line (on a 12 Max)

**** TIM COOK

 

[wanha]

And the games to take full advantage of this come from where exactly?

Apple decided it wanted to be Netflix Jr Boutique and set aside fairly sizable money, dedicated talent and focus on AppleTV+. To some degree, that has worked: there is original, exclusive content, some of which is highly-rated entertainment.

Apple has spun about being serious about gaming [this time... again] but has set aside no money, dedicated talent and focus for an AppleGaming+ equivalent. Meanwhile, the actual gaming competition do exactly that: lots of money, lots of dedicated talent, lots of focus... and they get just about all of the games and have just about all of the games in the pipeline.

"Build it and they will come" doesn't work well. But money talks LOUDLY and Apple is not exactly starving in that way. Create an AppleGaming+ with only the SAME budget, staff size & focus as AppleTV+ and great games will come. Else, toss the ball entirely to developers and developers will choose to go where the easier & bigger money exists in well-established ways.

the AVP is just a glorified developer kit at this point - it's price alone will tell you that.

As such, it's a developer tool and a preview of a spatial computing future for those who want early access, but it's rather obvious that it will not have any sort of thriving ecosystem until it moves out of its current "preview" phase

all of this seems to be by design

 

[surferfb]

Sony is super-weird about the PSVR2 controllers. They can’t currently be purchased separately from the headset, which means that if you have to replace a faulty controller for some reason, Sony makes you send in the headset too. I’m sure the negotiations with Apple have been torturous on this basis.

I am sure this will be changed if they're selling them for AVP.

 

[BNBMS]

It only proves that Apple is too stubborn with not making a dedicated controller for Vision Pro for so called inovation.

 

[Mousse]

Probably because gaming is always just an afterthought at Apple.

For me, gaming on Apple died the day Microsoft bought Bungie and turned a Mac exclusive (HALO) into a Windows/X-Box exclusive game. It was the move that kick started MS gaming.

 

[turbineseaplane]

Why dont they just make their own and admit it needed them for gaming

Apple "admit they were wrong"?
ha!

 

[ILoveCalvinCool]

I own a PSVR2, so in theory I'd be into cross-compatibility with an Apple VR device. It would have to be a much better offering than the Vision Pro, though.

 

[thefrost]

Gurman claims that beyond gaming, the controllers could be used to controlling the operating system with more precision.

What games are even on the Vision Pro?

 

[turbineseaplane]

What games are even on the Vision Pro?

Apple should collab with Sony and get Gran Turismo VR out for AVP

Sony seems like they are done investing on VR efforts ... so a collab for their VR content wouldn't be the worst concept

PSVR is sort of just twisting in the wind and that's without any competition from the Xbox side (no VR at all!)

 

[Unregistered 4U]

Hmm.. meta quest 3 , with controllers , and established gaming store. with plenty of games...Or , A Product which has no known purpose other than to show off whats already infront of you , a TV... sorry but it will never be a full gaming machine because apple do not take gaming seriously.

I know right I’d much rather be… what are the top 3 apps for Meta?
Gorilla Tag
Horizon Worlds
YouTu… HEY! Wait a minute! One of the top three apps for MetaQuest is just showing what’s already in front of you? Huh, reckon that’s a pretty important thing to be able to do!

And the other two… well, if you’re over 10, probably not much of a draw. LOL

 

[lilkwarrior]

the AVP is just a glorified developer kit at this point - it's price alone will tell you that.

As such, it's a developer tool and a preview of a spatial computing future for those who want early access, but it's rather obvious that it will not have any sort of thriving ecosystem until it moves out of its current "preview" phase

all of this seems to be by design

…The Vision Pro has moved premium spatial content and hardware forward beyond games more than Quest Pro and other prosumer headsets even more expensive the Vision Pro ever did.

Even by just existing to improve the manufacturing chain of more premium spatial computing hardware moving forward at a faster rate and quality baseline as before.

Manufacturers and premium content providers for established prosumer segments such as Canon and BlackMagic are accommodating premium/prosumer spatial content more than ever before directly attributed to the Vision Pro.

Furthermore it’s actually on par with existing prosumer hardware such as Apple’s to
do meaningful things beyond games.

It has been always important and will be more critical for spatial computing to have value for computing beyond games.

Early adopters of new and more expensive platforms do not have to depend on gamers.

Apple has literally validated over and over and over again not prioritizing gamers with their many prosumer products that prioritizes premium computing beyond games and GPU-dependent tasks significantly better on other platforms for decades.

The Vision Pro does not prioritizes XR gaming but ironically is better for non-XR games by having a far better panel with Dolby Vision HDR, far higher peak nits, and etc alongside its support for current gen traditional gaming controllers.

That’s especially the case now with Nvidia Geforce Now support with 4K HDR support and able to maximize its 90hz-120hz refresh rate.

Due to the low bar gaming headsets have settled with, there’s far more higher quality non-VR current gen games made and can be made than what’s possible by budget gaming headsets such as Meta’s.

Apple has no obligation to compromise screen quality, HDR, and laptop APU performance to do meaningful things beyond games just to appease gamers when manufacturers focusing on just games and sell at a loss of billions like Meta won’t.

Apple does not do that for the iPad Pro, Macbook Pro, Mac Pro, nor Mac Studio—why should they do that with their headset meant to work with those devices well and supplementary to their functionality?

Just because existing headsets decided to modestly support gaming and made their marketing all about that?

Please.

 

[turbineseaplane]

It has been always important and will be more critical for spatial computing to have value for computing beyond games.

Early adopters of new and more expensive platforms do not have to depend on gamers.

One can denigrate the gaming market all they want, but it's undeniably what people are actually buying VR headsets for "today"

"Today" matters in business and when trying to sell products

 

[x-evil-x]

Can we not use this with a PS5? I don’t want apples games