Skip to main content

PlayStation VR on the PS5 could ditch Move controllers for finger-tracking

Sony got good mileage out of its PlayStation Move motion controllers, which it introduced for the PS3 generation. But it could be moving to something more akin to the Valve Index controller for the upcoming PlayStation 5. A patent application published this month suggests finger-tracking technology could come to the system, possibly for use with PlayStation VR.

The application, which was first filed in 2018, is for a hand-worn device that includes sensors to detect individual fingers. A “sensor support” unit is located in the middle and is adjustable to accommodate different hand sizes.

The device, if designed as it was drawn in the application, would include physical buttons with the tracking software. It would still be a significant leap from the PlayStation Move, which is currently used on the PS4 and relies on physical buttons, analog sticks, and a bright light for tracking via the PlayStation Camera. Players must be in clear view of the PlayStation Camera or the tracking will be inaccurate or fail to work entirely.

Aside from the Valve Index, the Oculus Rift S and Quest have both added finger-tracking support in updates. These don’t require a controller at all, as they work solely via the built-in cameras on the headsets themselves. The current PlayStation VR headset has no cameras and uses LEDs similar to the PlayStation Move controllers for tracking.

Potential design for finger-tracking device on PS5

The PS5 will support the original PlayStation VR headset in addition to whatever successor Sony has in development. The headset didn’t launch until 2016, three years after the PS4 released. A revised version followed in 2017, but it only made slight changes to the wiring rather than a significant design overhaul.

The finger-tracking controller wasn’t the only Sony patent application published recently. Others include a special imaging device that could be used for PlayStation VR technology, as well as an ambient sound device that mixes environmental noise picked up via microphone.

In 2019, it filed a patent application for an “in-game resource surfacing platform” that was published in January. By asking the console for help with beating a section of a game, players can pull from others’ data and determine the best strategy. This is similar to what Google Assistant promises through Stadia, but Sony’s full application text mentions that it could cost money. The prevalence of gameplay walk-through videos on sites like YouTube and Twitch will make it a curious venture.

Editors' Recommendations

Gabe Gurwin
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Gabe Gurwin has been playing games since 1997, beginning with the N64 and the Super Nintendo. He began his journalism career…
3 big things I need to see from the next PlayStation Showcase
Peter and Miles from Marvel's Spider-Man 2.

It’s that time of the year again when industry insiders are teasing that a big PlayStation Showcase will happen around June. A third-party focused State of Play happened in 2022, but now Video Games Chronicle’s Andy Robinson and Giant Bomb’s Jeff Grubb are both suggesting that a more first-party oriented "Showcase" could be on the way sometime during the next month, potentially during the week of May 25.
PlayStation has had a rough start to 2023, with console exclusive Forspoken garnering mixed reviews, the PlayStation VR2 impressing critics while underperforming in sales, and The Last of Us Part 1’s PC port being broken at launch. With only Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 confirmed to be on the horizon for 2023, Sony has a lot to prove during its next showcase. There are three specific things I need to see from Sony if that PlayStation Showcase does come to fruition.
Give PSVR2 purpose
The PlayStation VR2 is an impressive piece of virtual reality technology, but it lacks killer apps outside of Horizon: Call of the Mountain. New game releases for the headset have been slow since its February 2022 launch, which is likely why the $550 headset has underperformed. Sony has opted to mainly relegate PSVR2 to State of Plays or PlayStation Blog posts, but it needs to revitalize excitement for the platform by giving some of its games a spotlight in a big PlayStation Showcase.

Hopefully, there’s more on the way in terms of new AAA VR exclusives from first-party studios, as well as much-demanded ports like Half-Life: Alyx. Already announced PSVR2 games like Journey to Foundation and Synapse could also use release dates. A PlayStation Showcase is the perfect time for Sony to put out a clear road map for PSVR2’s future game library, just as the September 2021 PlayStation did for PS5. Give me a reason to strap on that headset yet again.
Flesh out the system’s 2023 exclusives lineup
PS5 needs a strong lineup for this fall as well. With the exception of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, things look pretty barren for PS5 this year after the launch of Final Fantasy XVI. Several previously announced PS5 games still lack concrete release dates and could arrive in the second half of this year. It’d be nice to get a clearer picture of Sony’s PS5 game lineup for the rest of the year; hopefully, it includes titles like Stellar Blade, the Silent Hill 2 remake, Lost Soul Aside, Death Stranding 2, and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.

Read more
The best PS5 exclusives
Kratos sternly looks at Atreus in God of War: Ragnarok.

The PlayStation 5 has been out for a while, bringing us next-generation visuals, faster load times, and a slew of new features that have blown our socks off. Of course, all of these features are welcome, but the real stars of the show are the PS5's games. What good is a new console if there are no games to play on it? Luckily, Sony's next-generation system has you covered with lots of exclusives, ranging from wacky family-friendly adventures to experiences of superhuman proportions and even challenging action RPGs.

Since the PS5 is still only a few years old, its list of exclusives isn't massive, but there are still several you absolutely need to check out. In this guide, we'll round up the very best exclusive games the system has to offer. The PS5's exclusive library will undoubtedly grow throughout its life cycle, and we will update this article accordingly as more games come out.

Read more
Dreams live support is ending — and that’s a big misstep for PlayStation
Art fights a giant bird in Dreams.

Sony could’ve had its own popular proprietary game engine and metaverse. Instead, it just let it slip through its fingers.

Media Molecule is ending live support for Dreams, its highly ambitious game-creating and playing tool for PS4, on September 1. Its servers are staying online for now -- and it has a few more content updates in the pipeline before then -- but after August, there will be no new tools, ports, or events for Dreams. That means it’s not coming to PS5, PlayStation VR2, and, most critically, PC.

Read more