Playstation VR2 production paused due to poor sales figures

According to a report from Bloomberg, sales of the Playstation VR2 (PSVR2) have slowed down since its launch in February 2023. Stocks of the virtual reality headset are said to be so full that Sony is pausing production. The manufacturer has produced well over two million units to date.

VR headsets

595,91 EUR

Sony Playstation VR2

317

VR headsets

595,91 EUR

Sony Playstation VR2

317

Bloomberg based its information on anonymous persons close to Sony and the market research company International Data Corporation (IDC). According to IDC, deliveries of the PSVR2 to retailers have fallen steadily every quarter since its release. From 596,000 units in Q1 2023 to 325,000 in Q4 2023. Despite this decline, current forecasts predict that the VR market will grow by an average of 31.5 per cent by 2028 - thanks to Apple's market entry with the Vision Pro, among other things.

The fact that Sony's VR headset has so far sold less well than hoped is probably partly due to the price. This is comparatively high, as the PSVR2 only works in combination with a Playstation 5, while headsets such as the Meta Quest 3 are standalone. On the other hand, the problem with Sony is the same as with all VR headsets: there is a lack of content. A handful of AAA titles is not enough to get gamers to buy an accessory that is more expensive than the console itself.

It is doubtful whether this will change in the near future. After all, Sony still has an ace up its sleeve to boost sales: it wants to add PC support to its VR headset later in the year. <p