Sony’s PlayStation VR2 launch is reportedly facing a setback as the tech giant has received fewer preorders than anticipated. According to Bloomberg, Sony has halved its quarterly shipment forecast for the PSVR2, reducing it from two million units to one million units ahead of the product’s release on February 22nd. This is despite the fact that preorders for the virtual reality headset went live in November 2022 and stores are still taking orders.
However, GamesIndustry.biz reports that Sony has denied these claims and stated that it is “seeing enthusiasm from PlayStation fans for the upcoming launch.” The company has not provided further information on its quarterly sales projections.
The low preorder figures are reportedly due to the price and compatibility of the PSVR2. At $549, the headset may seem like a good deal compared to competitors like the Valve Index and HTC Vive Pro 2, but these devices are compatible with different systems and devices, including PCs, while the PSVR2 is only compatible with Sony’s PS5 console.
Sony is expected to ship 1.5 million units of the PSVR2 between April 2023 and March 2024. Meanwhile, the global shipments of AR/VR headsets are expected to increase by 32% to 12.8 million units this year, with the Meta Quest range leading the market with a share of almost 85%. Sony’s first-generation PSVR, which sold two million units in its first year, has a market share of less than 1%.
The VR industry as a whole is facing a decline in demand, as sales of the Meta Quest 2 headset fell after a price hike in August 2022 and both Meta and Microsoft scaled back VR operations during company layoffs. However, the long-term outlook for AR/VR displays is still positive, with analysts predicting that revenues will reach $7.3 billion by 2027, growing by over 50%.
