PS VR2 production reportedly paused as Sony seeks to move backlog of unsold units

Sales have been on the decline quarter-to-quarter, and with little first-party software support, PlayStation is reportedly pausing production on the PS VR2.

The PlayStation VR2 was a splendid addition to VR technology in 2023, but PlayStation hasn’t seen the sales results it wanted out of the device, and it may be slowing production in response to those sales. According to reports, after several quarters of weakening unit sales, PlayStation has allegedly stopped production of new PS VR2 units until it can sell through the current backlog of stock.

Reports of PlayStation’s moves regarding the PS VR2 were shared via Bloomberg, who claimed to have spoken to several people familiar with the matter. According to the International Data Corporation, Sony’s 2023 VR headset has failed to gain traction over Meta’s VR offerings, even drooping bit by bit across financial quarters. With this trend over the last few quarters, stocks of produced PS VR2 units are building up and Sony is figuring out what to do with it. Around 2 million units were said to have been produced in February 2023 when the PS VR2 launched.

International Data Corporation (IDC) graph of PS VR2 sales
According to charts looking at PSVR2 headset versus Meta headset sales, the Meta has been selling more while the PS VR2's sales have dwindled quarter to quarter.
Source: IDC

It's no secret that software support for the PS VR2 has been lacking despite the headset being a rather impressive set of hardware. PlayStation Studios have put out only a handful of first-party titles for the headset and has made little announcement of more software outside of third-party developers. What’s more, it looks like PlayStation is attempting to court more third-party interest as it has been shared officially that Sony is testing PC support on the headset.

It remains to be seen what Sony will do with the PS VR2. However, given the last year since it launched, and the recent supposed cease of production, one wonders if Sony has any plans past slowly backing away from it entirely. Stay tuned as we continue to follow for more updates.

TJ Denzer is a player and writer with a passion for games that has dominated a lifetime. He found his way to the Shacknews roster in late 2019 and has worked his way to Senior News Editor since. Between news coverage, he also aides notably in livestream projects like the indie game-focused Indie-licious, the Shacknews Stimulus Games, and the Shacknews Dump. You can reach him at tj.denzer@shacknews.com and also find him on Twitter @JohnnyChugs.

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