PS VR2 backwards compatibility "fundamentally" didn't work, say developers

PS VR2 backward compatibility with PS VR has been a hot topic since we even knew a second virtual reality was in development. Thanks to a few different developers, we know that the hardware makes it "fundamentally" tricky.

Though some PS VR games are making the transition across with PS VR2 free upgrades, developers on some of the best PS VR games have made it clear that the changes in hardware make full backwards compatibility "fundamentally" impossible.

Moss isn't getting the free PS VR2 upgrade

Do PS VR 1 games work on PS VR2?

Some PS VR games are getting upgrade paths that will allow previous owners to upgrade either for free or for a small fee. However, in other cases like Moss and Moss II, you will have to pay the price of the full game because of the work the developer has had to put in to make it work. So, PS VR games do not natively work on PS VR2 because they must be ported, which requires a varying level of development time per game. Providing insight into this, GamesIndustry.biz conducted numerous fascinating interviews with PS VR2 developers who had games on the older device.

Moss series design director, Josh Stiksma, explained: "I think there's just a lot of technical changes that go into the new hardware. The obvious big one that comes into play is now it's a game that involves two hand-tracking controllers, rather than a single DualShock. Fundamentally, the input needs to change in order to handle that."

Moss Book 2 is also getting a paid upgradei

"We had to go back and really dig deep into the game design itself to really optimise for the platform," publishing director Lincoln Davis said about the PS VR2 launch game rerelease of Moss and Moss Book 2. "From haptic feedback, increased graphics, the field of view, eye-tracking to controller setup, really fundamentally changing the experience to be better and more immersive. 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."

The creative director Jake Kazdal of one of PS VR's best games, Song in the Smoke, is also getting a release on PS VR2 with a free upgrade. However, Kazdal notes something similar: "I think the team was pretty proud of [the original], even with the limitations in front of us, but it's just so much better with a dual stick setup. It's a totally different game."

Tetris Effect is dope in PS VR

Mark MacDonald, the producer at Enhance of Rez Infinite and Tetris Effect Connected fame, stated: "We spent a lot of time, and time is money, working on these new versions. You also need to factor in internal testing and platform testing, so in the end it's a lot more time and effort than people probably think."

"The awesome thing is that it's kind of the excuse we needed to go back and do a full PS5 version," he explains. "We're really excited because 'superficial' things like resolution and framerate really matter in games like Tetris Effect: Connected and Rez Infinite, where sound and visuals sync and the crispness of it are extremely important and a big part of the experience."

Horizon Call of the Mountain is a PS VR2-only game

However, a final quote from After the Fall producer Alastair Burns perhaps rings the truest for some dedicated VR adopters. "We decided upon the free upgrade to acknowledge the commitment PSVR1 players have made to the game and the community."

What do you think of what everyone had to say? Let us know in the comments down below, and we will see you there!

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Written by Kes Eylers-Stephenson

Editor Kes is our resident expert in PlayStation and Sony news. He writes about PS5 exclusives like Horizon, The Last of Us, God of War, and Death Stranding 2 using experience from years of playing PlayStation games. He also covers PS Plus and trophy news, as well as his favorite games — The Witcher 3, Assassin’s Creed, and some indie gems — before an evening swim.