Sony halves number of PSVR2 headsets being shipped after disappointing pre-orders
Sony has reportedly halved the expected sales forecast for its PSVR2 headset after a disappointing pre-order window.
The PSVR2 is set to launch next month (February 22) and has been available to pre-order since last November. Many stores are still accepting pre-orders, and in a new report by Bloomberg, it’s claimed Sony has adjusted its sales forecast accordingly.
Sony is allegedly halving its quarterly shipment forecast from two million units, down to a million units. Sony reportedly expects around one and a half million units to ship between this April and March 2024.
By contrast, the original PSVR headset sold over two million headsets in its first year. The PSVR2 starts at £530 but players will also need a PS5 console for it to work with.
In total, 37 games will be available to play when the PSVR2 launches, including After The Fall, Gran Turismo 7, No Man’s Sky and the Resident Evil 4 Remake.
The exclusive Horizon Call of the Mountain will also be available from February 22. Check out the full list of games here.
Last year, a senior member of Sony staff claimed indie developers have been “waiting for this next VR boom”.
PlayStation’s head of independent developer initiative Shuhei Yoshida added: “There are big games like Horizon: Call of the Mountain and Resident Evil Village and yes, they’re amazing, but it’s the indies, in my mind, that really take the risk because they want to make games on VR.”
He went on to say that “the VR market is small. It’s still growing thanks to Meta doing a great job promoting the Quest, so more people are coming into trying VR for the first time, but still, compared to console gaming, it’s a subset and a growing market.”
However, The 2023 State Of The Game Industry survey reports that just 12 per cent of developers are creating games for virtual reality headsets, with 18 per cent of those working towards a PSVR2 release.
It’s also been confirmed that the PSVR 2 will not be backwards compatible with PSVR titles. Explaining the decision, Sony said it is because it is “designed to deliver a truly next-generation VR experience.”
In other news, Dead Space fans believe that an “indecipherable” unlockable New Game+ log suggests that future remakes are on the way.
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Ali Shutler
NME
