Sony Halts PSVR2 Manufacture Due to Excessive Unsold Units

Sony Group Corp. has reportedly put a stop to the production of its PSVR2 headset while it tries to manage an excess of unsold units.  

According to Bloomberg, Sony has manufactured more than two million units since the headset was released in February last year. The product launched with strong initial sales, selling nearly 600,000 units within the first six weeks.

Following reports that Sony had reduced PlayStation VR2 production due to unsatisfactory pre-orders, the company refuted these claims soon after, stating that it had not done so.

However, despite Sony's optimism, analysts estimate that the product only surpassed the one million sales mark by the end of its first year. Sales have been slipping each quarter, leading to an excess of stock. 

The PSVR2 headset's high price point, exceeding that of the PlayStation 5 itself, along with a scarcity of compelling VR game titles, have led to lower-than-expected sales of this VR product. Negative comments have fueled doubts about the logic of spending $500 on a product that needs a pricier $550 accessory to work. 

The physical discomfort associated with wearing VR headsets, coupled with the potential for motion sickness in some users, has detracted from the user experience and presented significant barriers to broader acceptance. 

On the business side, last month, Sony's VR-focused London studio was set for closure, adding to the 900 staff layoffs. Generally, positive updates about Sony's VR equipment seem to be scarce, with new games adapted to PSVR2 announced sporadically.

In an effort to enhance the gadget's appeal, Sony is presently testing PC compatibility for PSVR2, which would grant players access to a wider range of VR games via PC.

Let's continue to observe how Sony addresses these challenges and plans for the future of their VR technology. You can read the report here and also don't forget to join our 80 Level Talent platform and our Telegram channel, follow us onInstagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn, where we share breakdowns, the latest news, awesome artworks, and more.