PlayStation boss thinks it's too early to write off PSVR 2 - and I agree

Date:
Mon, 22 May 2023 08:56:07 +0000

Description:
PlayStation head Jim Ryan believes it's too early to judge PSVR 2

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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. PSVR 2 got my mum into gaming for the first time



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/news/playstation-boss-thinks-its-too-early-to-write- off-psvr-2-and-i-agree


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