The PlayStation VR Aim Controller launches on May 16 in North America and May 17 in Europe alongside Farpoint, and it’s been revealed that Farpoint and Dick Wilde will be the only games to support the Aim Controller at launch. Althought Dick Wilde doesn’t have a confirmed release date yet, it’s expected to be an Aim Controller launch title.
Future games that will support the PSVR Aim Controller include The Brookhaven Experiment (update coming June 6), Arizona Sunshine (releases in June), and ROM: Extraction (coming soon).
The developers of these games talked about utilizing the Aim Controller:
Farpoint
From the very beginning of development on Farpoint, we wanted to have a way to physically connect the player to the game and bring them that much deeper into the world we were creating. That would turn out to be the PS VR Aim controller. With the PS VR Aim controller we’ve been able to make shooting and aiming more natural and intuitive – once you have the controller in your hands you know instinctively where the buttons and triggers are. The 1:1 tracking also makes for a more skill-based game because the precision removes any need for aim assist.
Dick Wilde
When playing with the aim controller, you’ll have access to six different two-handed weapons to fight off swamp critters; the Harpoon Rifle, Grenade Launcher, Revolver Rifle, Shotgun, Paintball Gun and the Nailgun.
Each one has been especially designed for aim and takes advantage of its haptic feedback- so when you lift up the controller and fire, it really feels like you’re holding your virtual weapon.
The Brookhaven Experiment
Without a moment passing by, we wanted to be the first game to support it. And, as we worked to integrate it, that feeling came back. Not only was our vision immersed… the feeling of holding the gun in our hands changed how the game affected us mentally too.
Arizona Sunshine
[…] since the game was initially created with dual-wielding guns in mind, we’ve thoroughly tested ways to get the support for it right. And while using the Aim controller limits you to using a single weapon at a time, it makes up for that by increasing accuracy and control, upping your chances for critical, dismembering hits.
ROM: Extraction
With the PlayStation Aim, we are able to achieve a deeper sense of physicality than with standard motion controllers.
For the rifle-style weapons we wanted to bring to ROM, holding the Aim two-handed gives additional precision and stability to the in-game weapons, in addition to adding a stronger sense of connection between the real world and the virtual.
The controls themselves are comfortable and intuitive. As we look towards expanding ROM, the Aim offers us a number of features that line up nicely with various mechanics that we are considering for the future.
You can learn more about the PSVR Aim Controller and its development in the above video. In the video’s description, Sony says the controller was “built specifically for first-person shooters on PlayStation VR.”
The PSVR Aim Controller will be available in a bundle with Farpoint. In North America, it will be available “separately in limited supply.” As for Europe, PlayStation Europe Social Media Manager Eric Whelan was asked about a standalone release and said, “We don’t have any info on this just yet, but keep an eye on the blog and our Twitter channel and we’ll make an announcement when we do.”
[Source: PlayStation Blog (1), (2), (3), Reddit]
