Sony Announces Massive Price Drop For PS VR2

Sony has just announced a massive price drop for the PlayStation VR2in March. The lowered price arrives nearly exactly on the second anniversary of the peripheral, which was launched on February 22, 2023. The update may be an attempt by Sony to boost sales as the PS VR2 underperforms compared to its predecessor.

According to the PlayStation blog, the new retail prices for the PS VR2 will now be a recommended retail price of $399.99 / €449.99 / £399.99 / ¥66,980 (prices include tax for EUR, GBP, and JPY). That's an incredible $150 USD price drop from its current retail price, making it more accessible to anyone who wants to get their hands on a device.

PS VR2 Price Drop Makes The Peripheral More Accessible To Potential Buyers

The Steep Price Contributed To The Poor Performance Of The PS VR2

The original PS VR made a splash in the gaming world when it was released in 2016. The peripheral arrived at an exciting time for virtual reality, when developers and gamers were just beginning to play around with the idea of full virtual immersion. At launch, the original VR device was priced at $399, which is about on par with its successor's higher price when accounting for inflation (at least, according to the calculator on DollarTimes). The PS VR sold nearly a million units by its second year, a number that surprised even the company, as The New York Times reported at the time.

The launch of the PS VR2 was not nearly as successful. Sony announced its new VR device on the PlayStation blog, revealing a launch price of $549.99 USD. Although the PS VR2 received high praise for pushing the technology forward and improving on a lot of the issues of its predecessor, sales numbers were unimpressive.

Astro Bot and a soldier from Helldivers 2 standing on either side of a PS5 system

Sony Learned The Wrong Lesson From The PS5’s 2024 Success

Astro Bot and Helldivers 2 were big hits for PS5 in 2024, but what Sony has planned for its upcoming games is missing what made those games special.

Posts

A month after the official launch, Sony reportedly had to halt production of the peripheral due to poor sales, according to ars Technica. I could find no specific numbers for the PS VR2 sales performance, but the estimated number of units sold fluctuates between half a million and two million by the end of the first year. By comparison, the original PS VR had reportedly sold about 5 million copies at the same point in its lifespan. The large price drop in the PS VR2 is likely an attempt by Sony to breathe some life back into the device and urge new players to buy it. The lower price certainly makes it more accessible, making it likely that the company will see a spike in sales in the coming months.

Our Take: It's An Exciting Time To Buy A PS VR2

Great Games Paired With A Great New Price

The PS VR2 might not have sold as well as the original PS VR, but it's still an impressive piece of technology. The device allows players to become immersed in their games thanks to features like headset feedback, eye tracking, 3D audio, and more. The price drop means that more people can experience the wonders of VR like never before.

The new price after the $150 USD price drop makes the PlayStation VR2 a great pick for anyone wanting to experience the wonders of VR. There are now over 350 games with integrated PS VR2 support. And if you're not sure where to begin your VR gaming journey, Sony is making the Horizon Call of the MountainBundle available at the same price as just the PS VR2, making it an exciting place to start.

Source: PlayStation blog, DollarTimes, The New York Times, PlayStation blog