Sony’s VR gaming peripheral the second-gen PlayStationVR (Sony PSVR2) is set to launch next month on February 22. But, a month before release, word is out that the console giant has decided to dial down PSVR 2 production due to poor pre-order sales as per a report in Bloomberg.
The report mentions that Sony has drastically reduced its projected production for the PSVR2. Initially, the company aimed to manufacture 2 million units for the device’s launch quarter. Marking a change in plans, it has reportedly halved this projection to 1 million units.

Less pre-orders made Sony reconsider PSVR2 production goals
Sony started taking preorders for PSVR2 in November 2022 but is reportedly seeing low traction. This is despite the fact that the company ditched its invitation-only requirement for pre-orders. The source goes on to reveal that most outlets are still offering pre-orders without a waitlist, which is not characteristic of highly anticipated gadgets.
Based on the low turnout in pre-order sales, the report mentions that Sony has significantly lowered projections not just for the quarter but longer. It currently expects to ship out just 1.5 million units between April 2023 and March 2024. According to the source, the Japanese company has already told supply partners to expect a reduction in display panel orders.

Buyer reluctance could be down to PSVR2’s price and exclusive compatibility with PS5
A likely reason consumers aren’t coming in hordes to grab the PSVR2 could be its steep price of $549 – $150 more than the price of the PlayStation 5 console. This price difference exists despite the fact that the headset requires Sony’s latest console to run while the opposite isn’t true. In other words, the VR peripheral for the PS5 is costlier than the console itself.
Another reason making consumers think twice could be the fact that PSVR2 isn’t a standalone product, like the Meta Quest 2, despite a higher price. Moreover, Sony’s bid to attract gamers with ‘Horizon VR: Call of the Mountain’ launch title doesn’t seem to be working either as VR gaming still faces a lack of popular titles and mainstream developer attention.
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