PSVR 2 Debuts First Game Featuring Controller-Free Hand-Tracking

Back in December, Sony rolled out hand-tracking support for the PSVR 2, giving developers the opportunity to update their games and offer players a more immersive experience using the headset’s built-in tracking cameras. Leading the charge in this new era of VR is the fan-favorite Waltz of the Wizard, which is the first game to fully integrate hand-tracking on PSVR 2.

Waltz of the Wizard first charmed gamers as a free demo on the HTC Vive back in 2016. It allowed players to explore a whimsical alchemy lab perched atop a tower, casting spells and mixing potions. Fast forward to 2019, and the game had grown significantly, transitioning into a paid release that introduced new magical abilities, voice-acted characters, and a robust combat system centered around magic. The 2021 ‘Natural Magic’ expansion took players even deeper into the enchanted world, offering intricate dungeons to navigate and enemies to vanquish.

The developer behind this magical universe, Aldin Dynamics, is far from finished. The game has already accumulated nearly 9,000 reviews on the Quest platform alone, and they continue to innovate. Their commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technology to enhance their flagship VR title is evident. Even back in 2016, Waltz of the Wizard stood out thanks to Aldin Dynamics’ use of their proprietary tool, Ghostline. This tool allowed them to analyze player interactions and optimize the game’s design, delivering an experience that felt tailor-made for its audience.

In a recent blog post, the studio explained, “From the outset, Waltz of the Wizard was crafted with natural hand interactions at its core. Our goal was to ensure that every gesture felt natural and magical.” The game features intuitive controls for picking up and throwing objects, gentle interactions like pokes and touches, fluid movement, and snap turning. Players can perform various magical hand abilities and communicate with the character Skully using intricate gestures.

This new update doesn’t just bring hand-tracking to PSVR 2 users. Skully now reacts to hand gestures and interactions in ways that are described as “lifelike and immersive,” adding a layer of realism and connection that breathes life into the VR world.

Excitingly, the team has made these hand-tracking features available in the Quest version, which received its hand-tracking update back in 2020. They plan to release a new hand-tracking guidebook, titled Handbook, in an upcoming Quest update.

For those who already own Waltz of the Wizard on PSVR 2, the hand-tracking update is ready for download. And if you’ve yet to embark on this mystical adventure and are curious about crafting your magical spells and potions, the game is available for purchase on the PlayStation Store for $20.