Sony has announced that Gran Turismo 7 will receive a free upgrade that will allow players to use its next generation virtual reality headset as soon as it launches, on February 22.
The announcement came on the stage at CES in Las Vegas last night as the electronics company previewed what would come for its PSVR2 system. The upgrade to Gran Turismo will allow players to fully immerse themselves in the cockpit of a racecar, making it possible to turn their head freely, as if they were really behind the wheel.
“Today, I’m excited to announce that one of our most storied franchises will be coming to PSVR2 at launch,” said Jim Ryan, the president and CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment. “Gran Turismo is a game which has sold more copies across the series than other title developed by PlayStation studios. GT7 launched last year to critical acclaim and, through a free upgrade, PSVR2 players will be able to experience the game like never before.”
Read: Get Your First Look At Sony’s Gran Turismo Movie, Which Premieres On August 11
While gamers were able to use the PSVR to play Gran Turismo’s last installment, Gran Turismo Sport on the PlayStation 4, the usability was limited. Sim racers were only able to use the virtual reality headset on certain tracks in offline play. It’s not clear whether players will be able to use PSVR2 to race online in Gran Turismo 7.
The actual hardware behind PSVR2 will, however, be significantly better than that found on the first-generation VR headset. It features an OLED screen with a 110-degree field of view, support for 4K HDR, and frame rates of up to 120 Hz. It also comes with new Sense controllers that detect touch and provide haptic feedback, much like the DualSense controller for the PlayStation 5. The controllers will be useful for games like Beat Saber, which was a hit on the first-generation PSVR, and which will be updated for the new virtual reality system.
It’s Pricey
Unfortunately, all of those improvements to the hardware won’t come cheap. Preorders have been open for the PSVR2 since early December, and the headset starts at $549.99. It can also be purchased as a bundle with “Horizon Call of the Mountain,” another flagship launch title, for $599.99. Either way, though, the PSVR2 actually costs more than the PlayStation 5 it attaches to.