According to a new Bloomberg report that cites figures from analyst firm International Data Corporation (IDC), PS VR2 sales are struggling to say the least, with only 270K units sold between the launch date (February 22nd) and the end of March.
Ahead of the PS VR2 launch, Sony had been bullish on its production order, going as far as preparing two million units by March. Another Bloomberg report then said Sony had internally halved its estimates for the PlayStation VR 2 launch window following underwhelming pre-orders, but the Japanese company issued an official denial of that claim.
PS VR2 reviewed well among fans and critics, thanks to its high-end hardware and features. Kai Powell rated it 8.5/10 in Wccftech’s review:
Sony’s PlayStation VR2 headset had a lot to prove to justify a cost higher than that of the base PlayStation 5 console needed to operate it. The hands-on test confirms that this is how next-gen should look and play in virtual reality with an experience unlike anything else in the HMD space. Every aspect of the first PlayStation VR has been improved (aside from Cinematic Mode largely remaining as is) with no expense spared for comfort and design. This is the sort of revolution in virtual reality that can showcase not just the experiences that are fun to play but also those that can take advantage of the next-generation console’s power. As new experiences are brought to PlayStation VR2, the value can only improve, but the initial cost of admission may leave some players wanting to take the headset for a test drive first before investing in something the price of a second PlayStation 5.
With a price tag befitting of next-generation hardware, the PlayStation VR2 headset offers a virtual reality experience that’s unique to the PlayStation 5 ecosystem. Only time will tell if the new technology is worth the investment but all of the design changes and new features make me excited for what’s to come in the future for PlayStation VR2.
However, as noted multiple times in the quoted excerpt, the price of the PS VR2 hardware is very high at $549.99/€599.99/£529.99. It costs more than the PlayStation 5 itself and way more than the first PlayStation VR, which was priced at $399.
On top of that, the launch line-up was less than stunning. Sure, Gran Turismo 7 was an excellent showcase of the PS VR2’s capabilities, but most of the games were previously available on other VR platforms and only presented a few additional features or content. Clearly, that wasn’t enough to spark as big an interest in PlayStation VR2 as Sony had been hoping for. It’s not looking great for the virtual reality market, either, as Tencent recently canceled plans for its own VR headset.
