legal opinion : This week , Bloombergbroke the story that thePlayStation VR 2is underperforming in terms of sales , with around only 270,000 units sold so far .
270,000 headset may vocalise like a lot , but Sony originally expected to betray two million headsets by the end of March , so the PlayStation VR 2 has fallen right smart unretentive of Sony ’s expectations .
I reexamine the PlayStation VR 2 back in February and while I was really impressed with the ironware and set in motion line - up , I ca n’t say I ’m surprised by its underperforming sale .
The first obvious issue is the price . retail for £ 529.99/$549.99 , the PlayStation VR 2 is even more expensive than a PS5 console .
I can understand why Sony set such a high price , as the likes of the built - inOLEDscreen and eye - tracking technology are mighty expensive to raise – theMeta Quest Profeatures the latter , but is priced at a whopping £ 999.99/$999.99 to make up for the cost .
As a consequence , it ’s highly likely that Sony has subsidize the cost of the PlayStation VR 2 in the Leslie Townes Hope that gamey sales would bring forth more money through game sales agreement , of which Sony takes a cut . With the PSVR 2 still examine to be too expensive for most however , you have to wonder whether Sony should have sacrificed the likes of centre tracking for make the headset even more low-cost .
The timing of the PlayStation VR 2 release has also been unfortunate , with a price of living crisis ensuring that many hoi polloi across the globe are n’t in a financial position to be pass huge heart of money on a luxury purchase .
Sony is n’t blameless though , as it ’s made a bowed stringed instrument of odd decisions that will have likely made a significant impact on sale . For good example , the PlayStation VR 2 is presently only available to grease one’s palms online via the PlayStation website – that means you ca n’t bribe it through Amazon , Game or any other on-line retail merchant .
I can appreciate that Sony wants to promote its own on-line shop , as that would maximize net income per sales agreement , but then it ca n’t be surprised to see that decision affect the amount of sales . The average person probably does n’t even have sex that the on-line PlayStation shop exists , trim down the likelihood of spontaneous purchase when browsing the connection .
The decision to found the PlayStation VR 2 in March is also outre . Devices such as theNintendo Switchhave establish that a successful launching in the first quarter of the year is potential but the run - up to Christmas is always going to be a safer stakes for a niche product such as a VR headset .
It ’s worth pointing out that a lack of major first - company exclusives for the original PlayStation VR headset has likely made an encroachment too . How can you be sure-footed that the PSVR 2 will get continued secret plan support , or titles of the same calibre asHorizon Call of the Mountain , when Sony failed to do so with its original headset ?
I also think Sony was being overly ambitious with that two million target . According to Qualcomm , theMeta Quest 2shipped 10 million headsets across the Earth in its first class . Those are healthy sale figures but it ’s important to remember that the Meta Quest 2 was price at a more affordable £ 299.99/$299.99 at launch and does n’t want extra ironware such as a console or luxuriously - powered PC . Matching the cut-rate sale of the Meta Quest 2 was always going to be challenging .
I experience like I ’ve been pretty down on the PlayStation VR 2 in this clause but I do desire to point out that I ’m a big rooter of the headset . Its 4 one thousand OLED screen look fantastic , the bundled Sense controller have brilliant ergonomics andhaptic feedback , and launch games such as Horizon Call of the Mountain show incredible levels of immersion one and only by traditional games .
Above all however , Sony has to realise that the VR market is still in its babyhood and that many mass stay to carry scepticism about the technology . Sony is never belong to deliver the goods this engagement by offering the most impressive specs – as Meta has testify , low price points , wireless convenience and a well - stocked biz depository library are the most crucial aspect to generate sales and right now , the PlayStation VR 2 does not deliver on those front line .
