PlayStation VR2 sales forecasts reportedly halved after disappointing pre-orders – Playstation

as it states bloombergthe Tokyo-based tech giant is said to be halving its forecast for quarterly shipments from two million units to one million units ahead of the PSVR2’s February 22nd launch.

PSVR2 Pre-Orders –Which we saw up close at the beginning of the month– It first started last November, but many stores are still accepting orders without a waiting list. This fact, along with the fact that the product’s release date is less than a month away, is a significant differentiator compared to hardware releases such as the PlayStation 5 or Meta Quest 2, which struggle to handle high consumer demand.

Price and compatibility are said to be two of the biggest factors contributing to low pre-order rates. At €599, the PSVR2’s price seems fair for what it offers, especially compared to more expensive competing offerings such as the Valve Index and HTC Vive Pro 2. However, these headsets can be considered a better investment as they can be used on different devices and systems, such as PCs, in While the PSVR2 is only compatible with Sony’s PS5. “The PSVR2 will be nothing more than an expensive accessory to the PS5,” Macquarie Capital analyst Damien Thong said in comments reported by Bloomberg.

Reports indicate that Sony expects to ship around 1.5 million units to consumers between April and March 2024. Meanwhile, IDC estimates that global shipments of AR/VR hardware will grow 32% to 12.8 million units this year, with the Meta Quest series currently dominating On the market with a share of 85%. By contrast, Sony’s first-generation PSVR — which sold two million units in its first year — currently has a market share of less than 1%.

The Sony PSVR2 is set to be released as the broader VR industry experiences a drop in demand. Meta Quest 2 sales have plummeted after its price rose by $100 in August 2022, and both Meta and Microsoft have scaled back VR plans amid layoffs at both companies. Despite weak demand, the long-term outlook for the AR/VR offering remains promising, with analysts projecting revenues of $7.3 billion by 2027, an increase of more than 50%.