While we don't have sales figures for the Sony PSVR 2, the writing’s on the wall that Sony's PS5 virtual reality headset may have fallen short of expectations. Now Sony has slashed its proposed PSVR 2 production plan for this year by roughly 20 percent, according to tech insider Ming-Chi Kuo.
The Sony PSVR 2 has impressed us from day one with its improved graphics and much-needed controller overhaul. But you'll probably want to hold off on buying a PSVR 2 for now, as these doomsday projections could mean it's headed for a price cut.
In March, Bloomberg was tipped by the tech firm IDC that the PlayStation VR 2 sold just 270,000 units between its February 22, 2023 launch date and the end of March. That’s a drop in the bucket compared to Sony’s reported goal of 2 million units produced during the PSVR 2’s launch window.
And that could just be the tip of the iceberg. In that same report, IDC Vice President of Data and Analytics Francisco Jeronimo recommended that "a price cut on the PSVR2 will be needed to avoid a complete disaster of their new product.”
Kuo’s reporting isn't as dire as Bloomberg's, but still makes it clear the PSVR 2 may be off to a rockier start than Sony anticipated.
“There is currently insufficient evidence to suggest that AR/VR headsets can become the next star product in consumer electronics in the foreseeable future,” Kuo concluded. “The current market consensus may overestimate AR/VR headset devices’ contribution to key component suppliers over the next few years, particularly in the optical-related.”
Analysis: Too early to tell
An important thing to note: Sony has refuted past reports about it slashing PSVR 2 sales projections. So take these less-than-stellar projections with a grain of salt.
Bloomberg claimed in January that Sony cut its planned shipments in half ahead of the PSVR 2's launch based on lackluster pre-order sales. Sony denied the report the next day. And while Bloomberg and Kuo are credible sources, there's no guarantee these are accurate figures.
Another explanation could be the PSVR 2 is doing fine, Sony just got over zealous in its predictions. Compared to the original PSVR rollout, both headsets seem to be selling at comparable rates during their initial launch window — around 45,000 a week.
It's still too early to declare the PSVR 2 a flop. And it still offers one of the best VR gaming experiences currently on the market, including over 100 games from updates to existing VR titles to new adventures. Check out the full PSVR 2 games list to see what's available, or start with our list of PSVR 2 games to play first.
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