VR headsets are on the rise across the board. Just look at Meta’s Quest Pro, which costs a whopping $1,500. The trend continues with the PlayStation VR2, whose retail price is $550, 50 more than its counterpart on the PS5. This is a sign that VR’s entry-level days are over. Companies may feel more comfortable attracting ardent fans who desire powerful, impressive hardware.
Sony’s high prices will pay off, however. Check out the comments. PlayStation Blog postOr Tweet about the PlayStation VR2’s release date, and you’ll see how divided the opinions are already. For someone looking to get into VR for the first time with PlayStation’s new headset, that big price tag may be off-putting, creating doubt that we’ll see VR break into the mainstream in the way manufacturers had hoped.
Although VR prices may not seem appealing at first, some of these changes are practical. It becomes obvious why the prices are rising and how it could be a benefit for companies such as Sony once you get into the details. That said, there’s a good case both for and against PS VR2’s $550 price tag. Which one is right in the long run might be more about Sony’s ability to follow through than initial reactions from fans.
The case for PlayStation VR2’s $550 price
George Jijiashvili (principal analyst at Omdia), provided context for the current state VR. Jijiashvili was shocked by the price, since Omdia had expected the PlayStation VR2 to cost less than the PS5. He explained why this was possible. PlayStation VR2 pricing decision. To start, expensive VR headsets like the $999 Valve Index “underlined the demand for high-end VR headsets on PC, so Sony must have been encouraged to pursue higher-than-expected PlayStation VR2 pricing,” Jijiashvili says.
It is not uncommon to sell a PSVR and its controllers for a higher price that the PlayStation console.
He also noted that the original design of the first model was not available. PlayStation VR was 399The price of the PS4 Slim was the same as that of the XL, which it launched in 2016 at the same time. That said, it didn’t come with a PlayStation Camera or PlayStation Move controllers, which were required to play specific games. Bundles with these items added after the fact cost more than a PS4 While the PlayStation VR2 doesn’t need a camera, the base $550 version does come with its new Controllers for proprietary Sense. Jijiashvili believes that the technology’s cost is justified.
“On reflection, selling a PSVR with its controllers at a higher price than the PlayStation console is not without precedent,” Jijiashvili explained. “Sony must not have encountered significant pushback on this six years ago, so they’ve opted for a similar pricing strategy now with PlayStation VR2 … PlayStation VR2 also offers significantly improved hardware specs over PlayStation VR, which come at increased component and manufacturing costs.”
People will pay more for PlayStation VR2, but they’ll get more with it too. Additionally, Jijiashvili believes the high price point will potentially protect the PlayStation VR2 from an issue that’s Meta Quest 2 was plagued.
“$550 future-proofs PlayStation VR2’s price against ongoing high inflation,” Jijiashvili says, referencing the Meta Quest 2 and Price hikes for PS5That happened earlier this year. For better or worse, the PlayStation VR2 should be able to keep its high price for quite some time. Overall, Jijiashvili is still optimistic about the success of PlayStation VR2, although it won’t be as much of a runaway success as the PS5.
“Despite higher-than-expected price point, Omdia remains optimistic about PlayStation VR2’s chances of success,” he says. “Omdia’s preliminary estimates indicate that as many as 4 million PlayStation VR2 headsets could be sold in the first two years of its availability, achieving attach rate of about 8% with users of PS5 consoles.”
The case against PlayStation VR2’s $550 price
Sony has its reasons why it priced the system as it did. However, there are some caveats. To use PlayStation VR2, you will need a wired connection to your PS5. This means that it is a $1,050 investment. That will limit who can afford to play the new system, and that’s before you buy any games. Original PlayStation VR games are available on the topic of software. Not inherently backward-compatible either. Games like Pistol WhipPlayStation VR2 updates are being released, but old and new users will likely have to pay full price for most things they do on PS VR2.
This quickly adds up, and it will likely limit the number games people can purchase for their headset. The PlayStation VR2 would be cheaper and new users could spend more on games. It is currently in its most advanced state and will be most beneficial to VR enthusiasts who have access to a variety of upgradeable games.
Jijiashvili even admits to the existence of the PlayStation VR2It is focused on the VR community. “Sony has made a conscious decision to target its core, dedicated console player audience,” he says. “This is in stark difference to Meta’s approach with Quest 2, which is geared towards expanding the addressable base of VR, beyond a typical console/PC gamer.”
Although Jijiashvili believes that “positioning PlayStation VR2 as the leading destination for high-end, next-gen VR experiences will be a key pillar of its success,” I’m less bullish on the idea that high-end visuals will be enough to draw people in. Before it can become mainstream, the VR industry’s biggest challenge is balancing pricing, usability, and technological prowess. PlayStation VR2 will continue to be a struggle for the perfect balance.
Ultimately, it’ll be up to Sony’s long-term support of the system to justify the price tag. While that’s a bit of a catch-22 situation considering my prior concerns about games, the PlayStation VR2 needs ample support at launch and beyond to convince people that it will be worth $550. Jijiashvili agrees, adding: “In order to justify the $550 price tag, Sony will need to demonstrate a big commitment to VR … The reveal of 11 new/revamped PlayStation VR2 games is certainly an encouraging start, but it will need to deliver more in time for PlayStation VR2’s launch to guarantee its success.”
Sony’s track record is mixed in this department. Although the original PlayStation VR and PS Vita had strong launches, they lacked strong first-party support over time. If Sony wants PlayStation VR2 to be a mainstream success, it’ll need to double down on software. You can expect some to be hesitant to pay so much when they don’t know what the game lineup looks like a year or two from now.
While there are reasons for and against PlayStation VR2’s $550 cost, at that price level, Sony is introducing another long-term entertainment investment on the status of a PS5. Its biggest challenge ahead of the PlayStation VR2’s launch is messaging that it’s a worthwhile VR choice, and clearly, only some hardcore fans are convinced.
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