The Apple Vision Pro is hardly the next iPod or iPhone, and its hefty $3,500 price tag and disappointing gaming ecosystem, a mainstay of the VR market, have put many off. But that could soon change, at least for the latter, thanks to a new partnership between Apple and PlayStation maker Sony.

In the latest PowerOn newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports that Vision Pro may be compatible with Sony's PSVR 2 hand controller for the PS5 second-generation virtual reality headset, a standalone It is not available for purchase on its own, but as part of the deal, Sony is expected to begin selling the PSVR 2 controller through Apple's online store and the Apple Store. Currently, VisionPro supports both PS5 DualSense and Xbox controllers, which Apple sells along with other third-party accessories for the mixed reality headset.

Sony has apparently been working on adding support for the PSVR 2 controller for several months after Apple approached the company about a partnership earlier this year. Meanwhile, “Apple is discussing this plan with third-party developers and asking if they would integrate support into their games,” Garman writes, which is an exciting development. In addition to extending support for existing Apple Arcade services, iPhone manufacturers have done little to tailor Vision Pro for gaming, and there are few native VisionOS games available to early adopters.

Interestingly, an official announcement was set to confirm PSVR 2 controller compatibility a few weeks ago, but a few technical snafus delayed its release. It remains to be seen when the partnership will come to fruition.

According to Bloomberg, Apple wants to use the controllers for more than just gaming. In addition to playing the best VR games, it could also be used to navigate programs like VisionOS, Final Cut Pro, or Adobe Photoshop.

Since its launch, Vision Pro has lacked meaningful support for third-party VR controllers; the PSVR 2 Sense controller is the best in the VR field. It easily ranks as one of the strongest selling points of Sony's revamped virtual reality headset, which we covered in our PSVR 2 review, but not necessarily enough to justify the hefty price tag and disappointing game library.

My colleague Rory Mellon noted that the futuristic-looking orb-shaped controller is “very easy to hold and feels quite sturdy compared to the flimsy paddles of the Quest 3. While sturdiness may not sound like a particularly important feature, trust me, when you're swinging your arms around during an intense session of beat saber, you'll want a controller that doesn't slip out of your grip. psvr 2's controller also features the same next-generation level of tactile, dual-sense feedback, which also greatly enhances the immersive experience while playing the PSVR 2's best games.

Whether it will be enough to spark excitement over Apple's expensive mixed reality headset remains to be seen; Bloomberg reports that Apple has only sold about 500,000 units so far, and developers are still trying to make native games for the Vision Pro Bloomberg reports that Apple has sold only about 500,000 units so far, and developers are not clamoring to make native games for the Vision Pro.