Sony stops production of PlayStation VR2 due to low sales

Weak sales performance PlayStation VR2 would lead Sony to suspend your production. Reportedly BloombergThe Japanese company has stopped producing new units of its PS5 virtual reality headset to get rid of those piling up in its warehouse.

The aforementioned media outlets indicate that marketing for the PlayStation VR2 has “gradually slowed down” since its launch in early 2023. This would lead to a noticeable reduction in supply to the retail sector and an increase in device inventories.

By ceasing production, Sony will seek to get rid of unsellable devices. Actually sources Bloomberg indicate that surplus assembled PlayStation VR2 is scattered throughout the Japanese corporation’s supply chain.

Asian company over 2 million units would have been produced virtual reality headsets, but it is unknown how many of them reached the players. An IDC report indicates that more than 595,000 PlayStation VR2s were shipped to retailers in the first quarter of 2023, although that figure fell to 325,000 in the final quarter of last year.

When we talk about shipments, we mean the number of units that arrive at the stores responsible for marketing the device, not the number of units sold to the public. The latter has not yet been officially revealed by Sony.

Why are PlayStation VR2 sales falling?

While the PlayStation VR2 has received very good reviews for the quality of its hardware and its integration with the PS5, there are two key factors that won’t generate much interest among potential buyers. One of them may be the lack of more top-tier games for headset.

Sony promised over twenty games compatible with the PlayStation VR2 before its launch, and the catalog has expanded since then. There’s even support for AAA games like Gran Turismo 7 And Horizon Call of the Mountain. The latter was, in fact, the first confirmed proposal for the device and even had its own bunch when it came on the market.

However, another important factor that could influence its commercialization is his price. PlayStation VR2 was released in February 2023, priced 599.99 euros for the regular version. Although the above package with Horizon Call of the Mountain came to the market in exchange for 649.99 euros. And both values ​​have not changed since then.

We are talking about an expensive device. More expensive than the PS5 Slim with disc reader, which costs €549.99 but has been on sale since February and is available for €474.99. It remains to be seen whether Sony is considering applying a discount to the PlayStation VR2 to try to entice buyers.

Sony has already made it clear that PlayStation VR2 sales are not going as expected. Last month, the company announced that it had tested official support for use on PC. A notable change in their strategy considering they initially stated that the exclusive mission of the device was to take the PS5 experience to the next level.

Of course, the manufacturer has suspended production of the PlayStation VR2. This doesn’t necessarily mean you’re already thinking about canceling it.. Industry analysts note Bloomberg that virtual reality games could get a new boost in the coming years. Especially due to the revival of interest after the launch of Apple Vision Pro.