The PS VR2 would already be a commercial failure. According to information shared by Bloomberg, Sony has sold only 270,000 copies of its VR headset since its launch in February 2023. We are far from the target of two million devices sold in the first weeks.
Is Sony going straight into the wall with its PS VR2? According to information shared by Bloomberg, the virtual reality headset of the Playstation 5 does not meet the expected success, once again.
According to journalist Takashi Mochizuki, Sony is expected to sell around 270,000 units of PS VR2 between its release on February 22 and the end of March 2023. These estimates come from the research firm IDC, which was based on several market analyzes.
A commercial failure for the PS VR2?
Note before going further that these figures have not been corroborated by Sony. The manufacturer has not communicated any official figures concerning the PS VR2 for the moment. Caution is therefore called for.
Be that as it may, if these estimates are indeed close to reality, it is indeed a big setback for the Japanese brand. At the end of 2022, Sony was very confident about the success of its VR headset, with a sales target of 2 million copies during the first weeks.
A beautiful technological showcase…
Still, the PS VR2 is a fine proposition, from a technical standpoint at least. The PS VR2 indeed offers 4K HDR display and a 110° field of vision via an OLED screen in 2000 x 2040 pixel definition. All with a variable refresh rate between 90 and 120 Hz.
Added to this are some new technologies, such as eye tracking or the Sense functionwhich allows the headset to emit haptic vibrations, for more immersion in the game. PS VR Sense controllers are another highlight of the headset. Very ergonomic, they embed the flagship capabilities of the DualSense, namely adaptive triggers and haptic feedback.
… But far too expensive for users
Unfortunately, this beautiful technical sheet is not enough to erase certain black spots, starting with lack of backwards compatibility with PS VR1 games and of course the price of the helmet: 600 €. Or 50 € more than the amount requested for a PS5.
Add to that a line-up mostly made up of VR experiences than real games (except Horizon Call of The Mountain) and you get plenty of potential explanations for why PS VR2 failed. “Consumers around the world are faced with rising costs of living, interest rates and layoffs. In the current economic climate, VR headsets are not a priority for most consumers,” concludes Francisco Jeronimo, vice president of analytics at IDC.