Sony plans to produce 2 million units of the PS VR2 headset by March next year, according to people familiar with the issue, setting an ambitious perspective that challenges global economic malaise.
The mass production of virtual reality headsets started in September and has not yet encountered any constraints in supply chain, said some witnesses (who, however, have chosen to remain anonymous). The production figure could be modified based on the sales performance of the device once it is released early next year.
PS VR2: Sony promises 2 million units on launch day
VR headsets remain a largely untested category, years after the wide availability of commercial offerings from companies such as HTC Corp and Oculus, now part of Meta Platforms Inc. Sony’s roadmap for PS VR2 predicts much greater popularity than previous devices for PlayStation VR per PlayStation 4, which took eight months to reach one million sales. According to IDC data, Meta’s Quest 2the most popular VR headset today, has sold 2.8 million units in the first quarter of availability.
Sony has not yet released a official price or one release date for the PS VR2.
Serkan Totoan analyst at Tokyo-based Kantan Games, said:
“The key to success is the quality of the games that Sony will be able to develop. The other sticking point will be the price. Specs-wise, the PS VR2 is a beast and some users already expect it to cost as much as a PS5 ″.
Game developers remain skeptical of the VR segment due to its relative lack of market penetration, especially in Japan, Sony’s homeland. According to IDC estimates, Meta’s Quest 2 has sold to date 17 million units and is considered the reference point for the sector.
Il economic slowdown and theincrease in material costs they also hit the VR sector. Meta raised the price of the Quest 2 in August to cope with theincrease in production costs. Francisco Jeronimo, IDC vice president of data and analytics, said:
“The rising cost of living is making many consumers cautious about spending on non-essential goods. If the economic crisis worsens, Sony may have to cut production ”.
Sony intends to promote the launch of PS VR2 with new titles designed for VR, drawn from its popular in-house franchises. To conclude the company stated that there are more than 20 titles in development for the device by in-house and third-party game developers.