The PlayStation VR2 headset has been regarded as one of the best virtual reality headsets on the market. However, it hasn’t been selling very well according to one research firm.
In a recent report, Bloomberg reveals Sony may have sold less than 300,000 units of the brand-new headset. This is based on a study done by the International Data Corporation, a market research firm based in the United States.
According to IDC’s vice president for data and analytics Francisco Geronimo, Sony needs to cut prices on the PSVR2 if the company wants to stave off disaster. "I suspect a price cut on the PSVR 2 will be needed to avoid a complete disaster of their new product," Geronimo states.
Geronima adds, "Consumers around the world are facing rising costs of living, rising interest rates, and increasing layoffs. VR headsets are not top of mind for most consumers under the current economic climate."
Sony initially planned to ship two million units of the PSVR2 headset during its first quarter. However, the company subsequently lowered its projection to one million units in the first quarter and 1.5 million from April 2023 to March 2024.
Sony has declined to comment on the sales numbers for the PSVR2, but the company has since denied lowering the sales projections for its latest virtual reality headset.
Sony is confident that the PSVR2 will have huge sales numbers. The company’s Chief Financial Officer Hiroki Totoki believes the updated VR headset will outsell the original PSVR.
"We are very happy to launch VR2 on PS5," Totoki said. "VR1, we sold over five million units, and I think we have a good chance to exceed that amount with PlayStation VR2."
The PlayStation VR2 launched last February 22 with a price tag of $549.99. For the amount, players are getting the PSVR2 headset, PSVR2 Sense controllers, and a pair of stereo headphones. A $599.99 bundle includes a PlayStation Store voucher code for Horizon: Call of the Mountain.
Sony offered the PlayStation VR2 as a pre-order in November in selected regions. The offer was on an invite-only basis to manage the demand. The company later removed the invite-only restriction and players were freely able to order the VR headset from the PlayStation Direct online store.
Initial reviews of the headset were positive, especially when playing Gran Turismo 7. Those who got to try the game using the virtual reality headset were amazed at the level of detail and the immersive experience that the PSVR2 offers.
However, many fans have been complaining about the price of the new headset. The PS5 retails for just $499, making the headset a tad bit more expensive.
Another factor that may have contributed to the slower sales is the fact that it was only recently that Sony stabilized the supply of the PS5. Given that many gamers have only recently acquired the console, it would be a bridge too far, at this point, to fork out even more again for the VR headset.
Will Sony entertain a price cut or will it be sticking to the current retail price and hope that the numbers soon pick up? We will probably know the answer in a few months.
