Sony is reportedly pausing the production of PS VR2 headsets to sell off the excess inventory. Nearly a year following its initial launch, it’s said that sales of the $749.99 VR headset are slowing down.
It’s reported that a major factor affecting PS VR2 sales boils down to the software. It’s suggested by Bloomberg that the lack of compelling AAA marquee titles is impacting the adoption rate. Since its launch in February 2022, PS VR2 has received support for Horizon Call of the Mountain, Gran Turismo 7, Resident Evil Village, and most recently, Resident Evil 4 Remake. As the headset was developed and released as a premium piece of additional hardware for PlayStation 5, players have shown a certain expectation when it comes to software support.
PS VR2 launched on February 23, 2023. By May, Sony announced that it sold just under 600,000 headsets. However, IDC data suggests that sales have declined each quarter. As sales continue to stagnate, Sony is witnessing an excess in inventory pile-up. To help combat this, Sony will be pausing the production of additional units. This news follows as Sony announced it is laying off around 900 of its staff. Affected jobs include surrounding roles for PS VR2, including the closure of London Studio. Horizon Call of the Mountain developer Firesprite is also being affected.
Looking into the future, Sony still has plans for the PS VR2 headset. Recently, Sony announced that it is testing PC support for its headset. Once available to players, PS VR2 will give way and allow access to “additional games on PC.” Sony is aiming to bring support to PCs sometime in 2024.
