Until now VR games on the Sony PSVR 2 have required use of the device's Sense controllers. But it's now catching up with Meta's Quest, and we have the first game to make use of the hand-tracking support that Sony added in December.
The popular 2019 wizard simulation game release Waltz of the Wizard has been updated to allow players to the new gesture control. Players can grab and throw objects, poking and touch and use detailed gestures for communicating with Skully, an ancient spirit trapped in a human skull. And it looks really impressive (also see our pick of the best VR games of the past year).
Waltz of the Wizard | PS VR2 Hand Tracking Trailer | PlayStation VR2 | PS5 - YouTube
The new hand tracking in Waltz of the Wizard is made possible by the PSVR 2's tracking cameras. Players can put their controllers aside, and the game will automatically switch to provide a visual representation of hands on the display.
In a blog, the developer Aldin Dynamic says the game was designed with natural hand interaction in mind from the beginning, "ensuring that every gesture and interaction feels intuitive and magical." Skully was designed to respond to hand gestures and interactions in a way that's “lifelike and immersive, creating a sense of connection that truly brings the virtual world to life.”
There's an in-game guide book that provides a overview of the many hand-tracking features to help players get up to speed. The studio says new hand-tracking features for the PSVR 2 are also now available in the Quest version of the game, which was updated for hand-tracking in 2020, and the book will follow later. Hand tracking was first launched on the Meta Quest in 2019.
Waltz of the Wizard was released in 2019 and was updated with the Natural Magic expansion in 2021. The hand-tracking update is free for anyone who already owns the game. New players can buy the game from the PlayStation Store for $20.
See our pick of the best VR headsets for more on the hardware, or see pricing below.
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Joe is a regular freelance journalist and editor at Creative Bloq. He writes news, features and buying guides and keeps track of the best equipment and software for creatives, from video editing programs to monitors and accessories. A veteran news writer and photographer, he now works as a project manager at the London and Buenos Aires-based design, production and branding agency Hermana Creatives. There he manages a team of designers, photographers and video editors who specialise in producing visual content and design assets for the hospitality sector. He also dances Argentine tango.
