Sony has announced that the new 3D Audio system for the PlayStation 5 will not require the comapny's special Pulse 3D Headset. The next-gen audio technology promises to make video games more immersive by providing audio from multiple different directions, simulating what it would sound like if the player were actually inside the game.
The dawn of a new console generation is always an exciting opportunity for tech companies like Sony and Microsoft to flex their muscles and proudly demonstrate what makes their new tech special. With the advent of the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X and S, the biggest new developments are visual upgrades, allowing players to take advantage of 4k resolution and ray-traced graphics. Numerous developers have been showing off what their next-gen games will be capable of thanks to this new hardware. But as the development of Sony's 3D Audio system shows, next-gen technology isn't exclusive to graphics.
In a recent post on the PlayStation Blog, Sony has demonstrated that it's almost as excited by the potential of its 3D Audio as it is about the rest of the console. To that end, it seems fans will be able to experience the new technology even if they don't buy the console's Pulse 3D Wireless headset. The blog post announces that fans will be able to experience 3D Audio with "the headphones that many of you already own," either through USB connection to the console or through the headset jack in the controller itself. While this quote certainly seems to indicate that 3D Audio won't be available through ALL headsets, Sony seems optimistic that most headphones will work. Furthermore, in a later update, Sony plans to develop virtual surround sound that's compatible with the speakers built into pre-existing TVs, offering even more opportunities for fans to enjoy the PS5's powerful new audio.
The number one consideration for any video game should be whether or not it's fun, but the new audio is still an exciting feature. Making the sound design of a video game more immersive could be a huge boon to horror games, for instance, making it sound like dreadful monsters are lurking just out of eyeshot of the player. There's been a huge push recently to make video games more realistic and more immersive, and while that certainly isn't required for a video game to be enjoyable, there have been a lot of truly excellent titles that feel a lot like real life.
The fact that Sony is making its powerful new audio accessible even for fans who don't want to buy into the Pulse headset is a very good thing. Buying the console alone should be more than enough to let players experience everything the new hardware has to offer, audio included. It would certainly be nicer of Sony to clarify exactly which headsets won't be compatible with 3D audio, but even as it stands, a lot of players should be able to enjoy the 3D Audio of the PlayStation 5.
Source: PlayStation Blog
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