The best PSVR games that aren’t in PSVR 2 yet

Sony makes some of our favorite VR headsets on the market right now. But the landscape for these systems is a bit confusing right now. The PlayStation VR 2 hit the market earlier this year and can instantly turn your PS5 console into a powerful virtual reality gaming system. The problem is, there are a lot of great VR games that these new headsets can’t run.

The reason is that the new PSVR 2 is not backwards compatible with the original PSVR game library, which means that many older, but still excellent, PS4 and PS5 VR games are blocked on the PlayStation platform. Oddly enough, the original PlayStation VR from 2016 does is working on the next generation PlayStation 5 and these games will be playable. Hopefully these will all be updated to support PSVR 2 over time, but there are no guarantees that this will ever happen.

This means that yes, you can skip the PSVR 2 and use the original PSVR, connect it to the PS5 and enjoy VR gaming. Some of them even benefit from better loading times and graphics. And frankly, if you have an older PSVR and don’t want to spend more money on the PSVR 2, this is a valid way to go.

Just know this: The PSVR headset is older technology that requires a complicated cable box and an older PS4 camera that will plug into the PS5 with an additional dongle adapter that you will need to get from Sony. Also, most PSVR games I will not work with the new PS5 DualSense Controller (with a few exceptions, like Star Wars Squadrons). For most games with a gamepad, you’ll need to dig out an older DualShock 4 from the PS4 era.

Sony’s PSVR also has other extras: stick-like PS Move controllers (which you need for some games) and a light gun-like VR Aim controller. To keep this list simple, I’ve left out games that only work with them; below are some excellent titles that just need a DualShock 4 to run.

Also, many of these games can work as well without PSVR headset. They’re optional for VR, but the headset adds a different level of immersion that’s often really immersive, with the downside of a lower-resolution display than you’d get on a 4K TV.

But these games are so good that they are worth your attention. And hey, Sony: let’s get some PSVR 2 versions out of them soon.

And if you do go for PSVR2, here’s a list of our favorite PSVR 2 games.

Editor’s note: This article was originally written in 2019 and has been updated since the release of PSVR 2 as a reminder of how good these games still are.

It’s impossible to explain Media Molecule’s world of user-created browsing, but you can build your own VR dreamscape here. Or explore others. Dreams will function without a VR headset, but VR just adds a whole new dimension to discovery.

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A pretty great Star Wars fighting game without a VR headset gets even better with one. You can use your DualSense controller as this game does not track the movement of the controller in space.

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Sony’s best VR exclusive and a must play if you pick up a PSVR headset. The same team that made Astro’s Playroom — the game that’s built into your PS5 and shows off the incredible tricks of the DualSense controller — also made this showcase for the PSVR headset. It plays like a wonderful VR version of a Mario-type platformer. I like it even more than Astro’s Playroom.

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An artwork exploration puzzle game featuring fantastical alien worlds, incredibly strange creatures, and a simple interface that will have you exploring what to do. It’s a great immersive game. And really, it’s so weird — and beautiful.

Sony’s PS4 edition of the classic hovercar racing franchise works beautifully in VR and won’t make you too sick. The benefit of VR ultimately boils down to focus. (Sony’s Driveclub is another option.) Just be aware that you can only find this game in used condition right now.