PlayStation VR2 Pre-Orders Disappoint Sony

01/31/2023 12:15 pm EST

Sony has reportedly dialed back its expectations for launch sales of the PlayStation VR2 headset ahead of its February release due to disappointing pre-order numbers. According to a new report, the forecasted shipments for the virtual reality device have been halved with Sony now expecting to ship out around 1 million units after the PS VR2 launches on February 22nd. This news comes not long after PlayStation unveiled its launch lineup for the PS VR2 which consists of totally new games as well as some familiar IPs expanding into VR.

Bloomberg reported on Sony's revised projections for the PS VR2 this week while citing sources familiar with the matter who shared details on the lowered expectations. According to those sources, Sony plans to ship around 1.5 million between this April and March 2023.

As Bloomberg acknowledged, Sony's new expectations continue a trend of tepid responses from gamers to VR initiatives like the PS VR2. While Sony continues to expand in that area with this new headset alongside Meta with its Meta Quest line of devices, the availability of games has remained a concern that's caused many to be hesitant to take the VR plunge. Resident Evil Village getting a VR version and PlayStation games like Horizon Call of the Mountain expanding into VR are naturally things that could draw players in, but many are still unsure on whether VR is worth committing to just yet. While some games like Beat Saber will get dedicated PS VR2 versions, PlayStation also blunted hype for the headset last year by confirming that the PS VR library of games would not be compatible with the headset's successor.

The price point doesn't really help either since VR setups can be quite expensive. The PS VR2 costs $549.99 – more than the original PS VR and more than a PS5 – which is a big ask for someone who's already on the fence about the prospect of VR. Things like the Meta Quest 2 are a bit cheaper (and are less wirey) at $399 or $499 depending on what model you want, but Meta didn't help its case either last year when it announced that the Meta Quest 2 prices would increase $100 to what they are currently.

Sony's PS VR2 headset is scheduled to launch on February 22nd, so we'll see in the weeks after that release how the device performs compared to Sony's expectations.

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