ALVR now supports the PlayStation VR2 Sense controllers in its TestFlight builds for visionOS 26.
If you’re unfamiliar, ALVR is a SteamVR streaming tool that functions similarly to Quest Link, Steam Link, and Virtual Desktop, but has actually been around for longer and is open source. Shortly after Apple Vision Pro’s launch ALVR was ported to visionOS by software developer Zhuowei Zhang. Though this initial port was rough with many issues, another programmer, Max Thomas, significantly improved it and launched it on the App Store, where he has continued to update it.
Currently, ALVR on Vision Pro forwards the headset’s hand tracking through to SteamVR Skeletal Input. This means you can play SteamVR games with intentional hand tracking support like Maestro without issues. But most SteamVR content is designed for controllers with a thumbstick or trackpad and buttons. ALVR for Vision Pro allows you to emulate these controls via a series of gestures, but this is obviously incredibly clunky for most games – simply not practical.
David Heaney
On Monday, as months of rumors had suggested, Apple announced that visionOS 26 will support the PlayStation VR2 Sense controllers, which Sony will sell separately from the headset. visionOS 26 will arrive in fall, and the first beta is already available for developers.
The first major standalone visionOS game announced to support the controllers was Pickle Pro, which doesn’t yet have a release date. But developers who own PS VR2 controllers and a gaming PC can now access the vast library of VR content on Steam designed for tracked controllers, if they install the visionOS 26 Beta and enroll in ALVR’s TestFlight.
(if you’re not an Apple user, TestFlight is essentially a public beta system, somewhat equivalent to Quest’s old App Lab system)
Thomas says this capability is only for the TestFlight builds for now because Apple doesn’t typically allow beta features in public App Store releases.
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Max Thomas demonstrating PS VR2 controllers working in SteamVR on visionOS 26.
Right now ALVR shows Index controller models in SteamVR, but Thomas plans to “probably borrow” Sony’s models from the official PlayStation VR2 SteamVR driver. Otherwise though, it’s “pretty usable”.
You can use PS VR2 controllers on SteamVR in Apple Vision Pro via the ALVR TestFlight.
