PlayStation boss thinks it’s too early to write off PSVR 2 – and I agree
PSVR 2 may not have lit the world on fire as Sony hoped, but the Japanese manufacturer remains optimistic about its long-term success.
Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Jim Ryan has shared his own thoughts on PSVR 2’s first few months on sale. In an interview with Famitsu, Ryan stated that “PSVR 2 has just been launched, so it may be a little early to judge its popularity, but we are happy to see many positive reactions from users and the media.” (via VGC).
Ryan’s comment follows a slew of bad news for the PS5 headset’s opening months. Its reportedly poor pre-order performance prior to launch hinted a lukewarm consumer reaction to its eye-watering price point. Additionally, month one sales appeared to fall below Sony’s targets, despite Sony CFO Hiroki Totoki expressing confidence that PSVR 2 could outsell its predecessor.
Despite a slow start off the blocks, I do agree with Jim Ryan that it’s far too early to judge PSVR 2’s sales performance. Some of the best PSVR 2 games have already seriously impressed me, particularly its exclusives in Horizon: Call of the Mountain and Gran Turismo 7’s excellent VR support.
May 24’s PlayStation Showcase could also bring the goods, with new PSVR 2 announcements confirmed to feature at the presentation. However, I firmly believe these will need to be all-new exclusive games to impress, not just existing games we’ve seen already on some of the best VR headsets out there. That said, I wouldn’t mind a cheeky Half-Life: Alyx port.
Ultimately, I still believe that PSVR 2 needs a substantial price cut in order to pick up sales and remain competitive in the VR space. It doesn’t help that unlike Oculus Quest 2, Sony’s headset isn’t standalone, and requires a PS5. While the technical specs of the PSVR2 are much higher than the Quest 2, it’s a bitter pill to swallow when you’re currently looking at a $1,000 / £1,000 plus investment, and that’s before you’ve even bought any games.
Sure, PSVR 2 isn’t Valve Index levels of expensive. But there are larger libraries on cheaper, more accessible headsets like Quest 2 and Pico 4. Upcoming releases like Resident Evil 4‘s VR suite will likely impress, but at PSVR 2’s current price point that experience will remain inaccessible for the vast majority of consumers.