Reports are indicating that new PlayStation hardware hasn’t been performing as Sony initially planned, causing the Japanese tech giant to halt production for the time being. Sources have told Bloomberg's Takashi Mochizuki that production is on pause for the PSVR2. It seems the number of units needed was overestimated leaving many units sitting around in warehouses across the world.
It’s honestly no surprise given how reticent the gaming public can be when it comes to virtual reality, and when you lump on the £500+ price tag it makes it unlikely many will take the plunge and give it a go.
Beat Saber is a VR rhythm game that is always a highlight on any VR headset.
According to the reports, Sony produced 2 million PSVR2 headsets. There is no number on how many have been sold, but the momentum that was established at launch has apparently screeched to a halt. This makes sense as any devoted buyer would have bought the headset right away, leaving only casual fans left, and those are the people more skeptical about spending that much of what is still considered a gimmick by many.
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Personally, I owned a PSVR and used it every few days, usually to play some Beat Saber or do some VR boxing to keep fit. My usage went down over time and I had planned to buy the PSVR2 on launch but that steep price kept me away. Considering that the price of the headset is larger than the PlayStation 5 itself, it’s no wonder players are steering clear, even if VR is genuinely wonderful nowadays.
Virtual reality is a gamble and without a significant number of exclusive titles players will look elsewhere. Say what you want about Meta, but the Quest headsets are brilliant and the lower cost makes it more accessible. Without a pricing shake-up at Sony, it’s likely those units will be hanging around for a long while yet.
Featured Image Credit: SonyTopics: PlayStation, PlayStation 5, Sony