Though it came long before them both, PlayStation Move is really Sony’s answer to the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive’s position-tracked controls for VR, but it’s far from perfect.
Fortunately, it looks like a refined version of the controllers could be on the way. That is according an application from Sony at an Indonesian certification agency. Spotted by a member of the Beyond3D forums, the company has filed for a new model of the PlayStation Move, which is actually mentioned by name in the listing with a new model number, CECH-ZCM1G.
Move’s previous model number was CECH-ZCM1E, suggesting that this new model could be updated in some way, much like when the new Gear VR was exposed a few months back. We wouldn’t expect any major revisions to the hardware for now, though we’d certainly welcome some. The current Move controllers don’t feature analog sticks, for example, and tracking doesn’t always come off as precise as with the Oculus Touch and Vive wands. Whatever the changes, we’re still expecting the original Move controllers to be compatible with PlayStation VR.
Also uncovered is a new listing for the DualShock 4, the standard (but still position-tracked) PlayStation 4 controller. In fact, a new version of the device was supposedly leaked earlier this week, with the kit’s lightbar now shining through the top of the touchpad on the front. That adds fuel to the theory that Move is being refined too, but we’ll probably know for sure in a few weeks.
Sony is hosting a new PlayStation Meeting in New York City on September 7th. Two major reveals are already expected for the event. The first is a slim version of the PlayStation 4 console, which has also been heavily leaked to the point of confirmation. Also long overdue for a reveal is PlayStation Neo, the codename for an upgraded PlayStation 4 said to support a 4K resolution and possibly provide better performance for PS VR titles. Could we expect these new controllers at the event too?
If so it’ll be a line-wide refresh for PlayStation. That could be just what PlayStation VR needs, though it’ll be a difficult balancing act to keep customers that already bought the original version of this tech happy too. The headset launches on October 13th, so hopefully these new controllers will be available by then too.
