Beyond Ports: VR Developers Share Their Experience of Bringing PSVR 1 Titles to PSVR 2

As the launch of PlayStation VR2 approaches, there's a mix of anticipation and concern. While early impressions of the hardware have been positive, the high price tag and limited number of exclusive launch titles are causing worry. Of the 37 titles confirmed for the launch window, only two - Horizon: Call of the Mountain and The Dark Pictures: Switchback - are new and exclusive to the platform. The rest are existing ports, including remasters of games already available on PSVR1, such as Song in the Smoke: Rekindled, Moss, and Tetris Effect: Connected. Upgrading VR games to VR2 is not just a bonus, but a necessity, as the headset is not backwards compatible with VR1 games. This means that PS4 games with VR modes, like Resident Evil 7 and Rez Infinite, won't work on the new headset. So, how do VR developers feel about porting their old titles to VR2? For Josh Stiksma, design director of the Moss series, the technical changes in the new hardware are significant. 'The obvious big one is that it's a game that involves two hand-tracking controllers, rather than a single DualShock. Fundamentally, the input needs to change to handle that.' The situation varies from developer to developer. Vertigo Games' co-op shooter After the Fall will not only be available on VR2 but also support cross-platform play with VR1 players. For 17-Bit's CEO and creative director Jake Kazdal, porting Song in the Smoke to VR2 was an opportunity to create the best version of the game, unhampered by the limitations of VR1. 'You literally point where you want to go and push the accelerate button to move around,' he explains. 'I think the team was pretty proud of the original, even with the limitations, but it's just so much better with a dual stick setup. It's a totally different game.' Enhance producer Mark MacDonald is happy about VR2 not being backwards compatible, as it gives developers an excuse to create a full PS5 version. 'We're really excited because 'superficial' things like resolution and framerate really matter in games like Tetris Effect: Connected and Rez Infinite,' he says. The overall consensus is to not just make a quick port but to create the best version that utilizes the headset's new features. 'We had one build in the Unreal engine that we would export to high-end PC all the way down to Quest, so we had to take into account all the different settings,' Kazdal continues. 'But because the PSVR 2 version would be a clean, single thing, we could go all in and exploit the hardware in a way that we weren't able to before.' Exclusive to VR2's headset is eye-tracking, which allows the hardware to render only what the eye sees, enabling features like dynamic shadows in Moss. Tetris Effect: Connected utilizes eye-tracking to let players enter the Zone by closing their eyes. Developers are also keen to exploit the adaptive triggers, which add a new level of realism to games like Pistol Whip. 'Our team tuned the haptics to the PSVR 2's greater range and sensitivity, and the new headset haptics will give players a bit more of a jolt when they're hit,' explains game director Tyler McCulloch. The question remains whether existing players will be willing to purchase the games again, especially considering the added pressure to justify the cost. While some developers, like Polyarc, will sell their games at full price, others, like Enhance, will offer a discounted price for players who previously bought the game on PS4. 'We had to go back and really dig deep into the game design itself to optimize for the platform, from haptic feedback to controller setup, really fundamentally changing the experience to be better and more immersive,' explains Polyarc's publishing director Lincoln Davis. 'We're a small team working on this, and if we want to keep creating worlds like this, we can't just give stuff away for free.' Some developers, including Cloudhead Games and Vertigo Games, are providing a free upgrade path, which Sony has helped facilitate. 'We decided upon the free upgrade to acknowledge the commitment PSVR1 players have made to the game and the community,' says After the Fall producer Alastair Burns. For players who will already be spending a significant sum on the new headset, it may be disappointing to have to pay again for games they already own. However, developers are sure to attract a new audience by being part of the launch lineup. 'So many more people get to play these tried, tested, and proven titles now, and a quality lineup on launch will only attract more curious gamers to VR,' says Burns.