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[Men_in_Boxes]

PSVR sold 5 million units in 3 years.

PSVR games didn't light the charts on fire either.

What's the play here from Sony? Why do you think they're investing so heavily into VR? Why not buy a few more studios, or fund a few more AAA projects with that money instead? Why not do what Microsoft is doing and wait until the market size is big enough to jump in.

Any theories?

Edit: Btw, I'm a fan of Sony's strategy here. I'll be on PSVR2 on day one. I just don't see the obvious reason from Sony's perspective.

 

[DonJuanSchlong]

Ask any valve index owner, and we'll tell you why. We've all played half life alyx. VR is going to be a big part in future games. This is only the beginning, and it's already spoken for itself.

 

[Shmunter]

PSVR sold 5 million units in 3 years.

PSVR games didn't light the charts on fire either.

What's the play here from Sony? Why do you think they're investing so heavily into VR? Why not buy a few more studios, or fund a few more AAA projects with that money instead? Why not do what Microsoft is doing and wait until the market size is big enough to jump in.

Any theories?

Same as Oculus - long term strategy. Thinking about where it will be, not where it is today.

Sony will be subject matter experts and devs will have the experience. If and when VR grows to mass market proportions, these companies will be well placed within the industry. The world needs visionaries and pioneers for progress to happen.

MS will need to spend 7.5 billion buying something.

 

[RoboFu]

They probably see VR as good investment for more areas than just gaming but see gaming as good way to help fund and advance their R & D.

 

[DonJuanSchlong]

Same as Oculus - long term strategy. Thinking about where it will be, not where it is today.

Sony will be subject matter experts and devs will have the experience. If and when VR grows to mass market proportions, these companies will be well placed within the industry.

MS will need to spend 7.5 billion buying something.

Valve index > psvr by many many miles, and it's available on my windows PC. Please don't make this an anti Xbox thread. This is strictly VR

 

[AJUMP23]

They think they can make money there.

 

[jroc74]

Why not?

Gotta start somewhere. Cant be afraid to try.

One reason could be because Sony has their hands in TV and movies too. PSVR has some other uses besides gaming.

 

[Shmunter]

Valve index > psvr by many many miles, and it's available on my windows PC. Please don't make this an anti Xbox thread. This is strictly VR

You fail to see the point I'm making in contrasting between those that build innovation and those that don't

But thanks for throwing in how great your pc solution is, the moment really needed it

 

[farmerboy]

Point of difference. They could do another hand-held but.........Nintendo would just smack them.

 

[Hawking Radiation]

Ask any valve index owner, and we'll tell you why. We've all played half life alyx. VR is going to be a big part in future games. This is only the beginning, and it's already spoken for itself.

One of my PC loving mates basically creamed himself when he first played Half Life Alyx in VR. Dude couldn't stop wanking himself silly over the experience to the point where I genuinely worried if he was going to be ok.

Also VR is the future. There's only so much innovation left in real-time graphics and eventually the interest while die down. True immersion in game worlds has always been the goal of videogame developers and VR provides this.
The experience just needs to be further refined with massively improved visual fidelity, ergonomics and lower entry point for the tech to truly take off.

 

[Zones]

Why not do what Microsoft is doing and wait until the market size is big enough to jump in.

Any theories?

A market won’t just become big out of nowhere, someone somewhere has to start when the market is still nascent.

Oh, and the tech behind what makes a great VR would also stagnate if companies don’t actively fund R&D for new VR hardwares.

 

[onnextflix5]

Dont think it costing that much in R and D, maybe $50 million, marketing wll cost a lot more, they feel at worst they will break even, unless they really nail the hardware and support it with software, don't see its doing much better then the current psvr. i think they see it as a unique selling point over xbox, me myself don't think vr is ready, headsets are too heavy, maybe in 10 years.

 

[CitizenZ]

Last time I checked they were the #1 seller of VR hardware though rated as one of the worst. So im guessing money?

 

[ACESHIGH]

Greatest thing Sony has done last gen. Shiny graphics on a flat screen with a dual analog controller are getting old.

a good PSVR2 headset with psVR bc and and I may consider joining the playstation ecosystem again.

 

[Shmunter]

Point of difference. They could do another hand-held but.........Nintendo would just smack them.

That rumor about a streaming handheld is the only way a portable works for Sony. A cheap, well build 'dumb' device that streams from your PS5 or PS Now.

With Wifi6 on PS5, the thing would destroy a Switch around the house due to full fat ps5 fidelity games. It makes perfect sense for those that like to play like that. Not for me tho.

 

[Krisprolls]

They invest in VR because it has huge potential in terms of immersion. It's still part of the future of gaming (it won't replace traditional gaming though). You only need to try PSVR or another good VR headset to understand the potential for gaming.

Don't let the slow taking off fool you. VR won't die. At some point, experiences will be so great and cheap it will take off massively.

 

[DonJuanSchlong]

You fail to see the point I'm making in contrasting between those that build innovation and those that don't

But thanks for throwing in how great your pc solution is, the moment really needed it

I mean if someone can do better, what's the problem. Open platforms are better than closed ones. Microsoft has their own VR solution, which isn't the best compared to others, but why not have all included? That's innovation within itself. That's why I prefer Android to Apple. Sometimes there are others that do it better, and it's great to let them do their thing.

 

[jakinov]

- Long term potential when technology is cheaper, better and demand is up
- Building a library of games/dev-support; if xbox starts a VR headset right now they have 0 games and have to convince developers to support them too
- Their own developers get better at developing VR games and might create better VG tech for creating VR games
- Patents and proprietary tech; it's also an emerging technology so they can be pioneers and be the one good at known at making VR headsets
- It's an additional selling point. Even if people don't buy the VR, the option is a selling point to people when they research or are being convinced to buy a console. It's like the whole exclusive games thing. People can buy something for all the pros but not actually take advantage of them.

 

[CamHostage]

Why not?

Gotta start somewhere. Cant be afraid to try.

Well, you can be afraid to try when you're thinking of charging customers as much $$ for a VR headset as the brand new console it plays on, especially this being their second headset in five years following on a system with decent but perhaps no world-igniting software and essentially a total drop of 1st Party* software development after 2019.

Sony's going to have to confront some fears before they put another PSVR out on the market. They have to see it, understand it, battle it, and squash it, in order to confidently bring another PSVR to market.

(*Iron Man VR by Camoflaj was due out in 2019 but got delayed twice and eventually release in July of last year. And that's been all the news about Sony and VR until now... except when Sony closed its Manchester office in 2020, which was going to be a VR studio.)

Point of difference. They could do another hand-held but.........Nintendo would just smack them.

Nintendo smacked them with Sony's first handheld, sure, but PSP still stayed in the fight and did well on its own.

But I see your point, because sadly, the market conditions that let PSP eek out a nice living while DS ruled don't exist anymore now that Mobile is fully mature, and I don't know what Sony could do now that could be successful a second time. (Sorry Vita ... I'd actually like to see you come back first before PSVR, but you're not what we're talking about.)

PS5 is doing fine without VR though (as was PS4.) Sony doesn't have to get into a panic worrying about Xbox right now (and Microsoft have shown little signs of fast-tracking their VR or AR product,) and Quest 2 is doing well but the entire Oculus line has sold fewer than 10m units; PS5 moved almost 5m this Christmas.

So if Sony is getting into VR again because they're worried they need a point of difference, what makes PSVR different from all the other companies who are also doing VR?

And if numbers show already that 25% of those PS5 gamers weren't PS gamers before now, what percentage of mindshare of <10m will matter when they've already gotten a fifth of those kinds of newcomers without doing anything differently?

 

[Shmunter]

I mean if someone can do better, what's the problem. Open platforms are better than closed ones. Microsoft has their own VR solution, which isn't the best compared to others, but why not have all included? That's innovation within itself. That's why I prefer Android to Apple. Sometimes there are others that do it better, and it's great to let them do their thing.

I don't think this thread is about comparing tech shlong sizes

 

[Men_in_Boxes]

They invest in VR because it has huge potential in terms of immersion. It's still part of the future of gaming (it won't replace traditional gaming though). You only need to try PSVR or another good VR headset to understand the potential for gaming.

Don't let the slow taking off fool you. VR won't die. At some point, experiences will be so great and cheap it will take off massively.

While increased immersion is a real thing, I think the real draw of VR is the fact that anyone can play it. You don't need to know how to work joysticks or a KBM to interact with games anymore.

 

[NullZ3r0]

Sony's betting on VR while MS is betting on game streaming.

VR is too expensive and impractical for most folks. I hope it takes off.

 

[Oddvintagechap]

You need to constantly try to beat your own business or you wont grow.

 

[Men_in_Boxes]

I don't think this thread is about comparing tech shlong sizes

You would be wrong.

This was a stealth VR war thread all along. The only thing that gets me hard anymore are people typing out the PSVRs limitations.

 

[hououinkyouma00]

PSVR sold 5 million units in 3 years.

PSVR games didn't light the charts on fire either.

What's the play here from Sony? Why do you think they're investing so heavily into VR? Why not buy a few more studios, or fund a few more AAA projects with that money instead? Why not do what Microsoft is doing and wait until the market size is big enough to jump in.

Any theories?

Edit: Btw, I'm a fan of Sony's strategy here. I'll be on PSVR2 on day one. I just don't see the obvious reason from Sony's perspective.

If I remember correctly PSVR is the best selling VR headset or at least it was. It was also well received if not as well as others.

Sony are looking towards the future, not just the present. VR will be a big part of video games and entertainment in general in the future. Plus they biggest competition is Microsoft and PSVR gives them something that Xbox doesn't have at the moment nor seem interested in.

 

[jroc74]

Well, you can be afraid to try when you're thinking of charging customers as much $$ for a VR headset as the brand new console it plays on, especially this being their second headset in five years following on a system with decent but perhaps no world-igniting software and essentially a total drop of 1st Party* software development after 2019.

Sony's going to have to confront some fears before they put another PSVR out on the market. They have to see it, understand it, battle it, and squash it, in order to confidently bring another PSVR to market.

(*Iron Man VR by Camoflaj was due out in 2019 but got delayed twice and eventually release in July of last year. And that's been all the news about Sony and VR until now... except when Sony closed its Manchester office in 2020, which was going to be a VR studio.)


Nintendo smacked them with Sony's first handheld, sure, but PSP still stayed in the fight and did well on its own.

But I see your point, because sadly, the market conditions that let PSP eek out a nice living while DS ruled don't exist anymore now that Mobile is fully mature, and I don't know what Sony could do now that could be successful a second time. (Sorry Vita ... I'd actually like to see you come back first before PSVR, but you're not what we're talking about.)

PS5 is doing fine without VR though (as was PS4.) Sony doesn't have to get into a panic worrying about Xbox right now (and Microsoft have shown little signs of fast-tracking their VR or AR product,) and Quest 2 is doing well but the entire Oculus line has sold fewer than 10m units; PS5 moved almost 5m this Christmas.

So if Sony is getting into VR again because they're worried they need a point of difference, what makes PSVR different from all the other companies who are also doing VR?

And if numbers show already that 25% of those PS5 gamers weren't PS gamers before now, what percentage of mindshare of <10m will matter when they've already gotten a fifth of those kinds of newcomers without doing anything differently?

Glasstron - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

They have been doing headsets like this for many years. PSVR is just the latest.

I think they will continue.

As far as price, that's why they didnt announce anything when the PS5 launched. They havent even went over any big changes for PS Now or Plus. They're just being patient, no need for too much all at once.

 

[zedinen]

PSVR sold below expectations ...

 

[e&e]

Ask any valve index owner, and we'll tell you why. We've all played half life alyx. VR is going to be a big part in future games. This is only the beginning, and it's already spoken for itself.

Until it’s effortless and not make you look like a dumb duck, it’s not going to be doing shit.

not even gonna bring up the price lol...

 

[DonJuanSchlong]

Until it’s effortless and not make you look like a dumb duck, it’s not going to doing shit.

 

[DrSerigala]

Best VR games until 2020 by sales, mostly multiplat or PC exclusive, only one PS exclusive. Sony waste money on VR

 

[Peenolia010]

You fail to see the point I'm making in contrasting between those that build innovation and those that don't

But thanks for throwing in how great your pc solution is, the moment really needed it

Was there a point in your post? You took the opportunity to throw a jab at Microsof when there was no need. All platforms are investing money into VR (some more than others), but Sony are in it for the present as well as the future.

 

[DrSerigala]

On number of sales of VR headset also outnumbered by PC total VR. Sony should focus on AAA games where they're good at, not waste money on VR

 

[hybrid_birth]

Technology always improves as time goes on. In some cases making products better / more popular. If not we all would still be playing PS1 games that look like this:

Why not invest in something that has potential.

 

[e&e]

Technology always improves as time goes on. In some cases making products better / more popular. If not we all would still be playing PS1 games that look like this:

Why not invest in something that has potential.

One fact that makes this a terrible comparison...the dumb duck goggles...

 

[plip.plop]

I have PSVR, it was ok. My only gripe was the resolution. But I'm glad they are giving it a go again, OP would you rather they adopt Google's policy on products instead?

 

[hybrid_birth]

One fact that makes this a terrible comparison...the dumb duck goggles...

 

[SF Kosmo]

It's laying the groundwork. Sony believes VR is going to become a significant segment of the gaming market at some point and when it does they want to be one of the players rather than trying to play catch up.

It was many years before streaming video was profitable, for example, but the companies that went in hard early on, like Netflix, are doing well, while latecomers like Peacock and CBS are struggling to make a case for themselves.

 

[BigBooper]

I think it's mostly a vanity project, but there's other benefits from it too. They have something that MS doesn't. They can promote the idea that they're high tech futuristic. If somebody thought they'd like to get VR one day, they may consider that when choosing a console.

I don't really know, but I have the feeling that their VR games are actually pretty cheap to make. They don't have huge teams on them.

Lastly, we don't know for sure what their 2nd headset will be, but what if they made it work with SteamVR and Lighthouses and brought their VR games to pc? They'd own VR.

 

[Shmunter]

Was there a point in your post? You took the opportunity to throw a jab at Microsof when there was no need. All platforms are investing money into VR (some more than others), but Sony are in it for the present as well as the future.

I'll explain it to you. The 'jab' at Microsoft allows me to illustrate the point between greenfield investment vs neglecting such an investment. It is especially topical and enveloped in current industry events allowing me to convey more information in a short concise way.

Take that away, or not.

 

[CamHostage]

While increased immersion is a real thing, I think the real draw of VR is the fact that anyone can play it. You don't need to know how to work joysticks or a KBM to interact with games anymore.

...You do need $800 or more of equipment, though. (Between the console and the hardware, assuming PSVR 2 comes out at the same price.)

So, not anyone can play it (not PlayStation VR, at least.) My mom can't play it. She can play a Wii, if that thing's still hooked up, but it'd take a lot to get a PSVR 2 into her home.

Quest 2 brings the price point much closer to affordable (and has been really successful at that price), but that's not the device PlayStation is making here so we can't play with those numbers.

If I remember correctly PSVR is the best selling VR headset or at least it was. It was also well received if not as well as others.

It has sold approx 5M units since launching in 2016. That is pretty danged good, considering Oculus hasn't been able to sell half that in all its existence despite having Facebook's money.

Quest 2 is rumored to have sold 1M this Christmas, which is also a strong number and a good sign that there is a market here.

That makes the entirety of the VR market right now to have moved maybe 15-20 million units total in 5 years of this being an active business (longer than that if you include the mobile and DK1/2/CrystalCove.) Is that good? Depends on how you look at it. It does have a long, long way to go before VR can claim it has reached that future of being "a big part of video games and entertainment in general," as you say.

As far as price, that's why they didnt announce anything when the PS5 launched. They havent even went over any big changes for PS Now or Plus. They're just being patient, no need for too much all at once.

No need for anything then. Don't say a word about PSVR 2 until it's ready to be something more than more of the past.

There's no PSVR this year, there may not be one next year, so why tease it as if it's something to get excited about? Dev kits aren't even out yet and games take years to make. (Albeit we could just get a flood of PC and Quest 2 games on PSVR 2, which will be welcome but not reason to plunk down a few hundred dollars.) And Sony appears to have no VR games planned for the current VR (we'll see tomorrow if thing comes for PS4 VR but PS5 will at best have to settle for backwards compatibility because PS5 doesn't play PS5 games in VR.) By the time a new VR ships, it will have been fully evident (if it isn't already) that Sony dropped support of the past VR a long time ago.

So don't treat the next PSVR as an evolution of the old PSVR, and don't talk about VR as important to the PlayStation business when it will be a gap of probably 3 years where it wasn't really part of the PlayStation business at all aside from 3rd party royalties and past-gen game sales. VR for PS5 will have to be a total fresh start, and it will have to be something compelling beyond just "PSVR 2.0" in order to get new customers interested.

 

[Amiga]

VR is the inevitable evolution of gaming.

getting a head start on hardware and software know how is a good investment. PSVR has been good for 1st generation introduction.

 

[Zeeed]

As A Sony fan, I wish them luck.
But I will be on the side lines waiting to see if the VR thing really takes off or not.

In the past, I thought 3D technology was the way of the future. Love my 3DS, bought a 3D TV,
but we all know how that went. I still think the 3DS is magic technology, btw

At the end of the day, most people just like to chill in front of their TV with comfort for long periods of time.
Putting on a VR getup and flapping around sounds like work. If I thought move controller games was work, I doubt I will like VR games any better.

 

[Keihart]

why wouldn't they, they are already leading the way in something that inevitably will be in some way or another, the future of gaming.

 

[isoRhythm]

On number of sales of VR headset also outnumbered by PC total VR. Sony should focus on AAA games where they're good at, not waste money on VR

The Quest 2 just launched obviously it's going to sell more.. tf is this lmao

 

[Boss Mog]

Anybody who questions it isn't a PSVR owner. Like it or not, VR is the future.

 

[Astorian]

At the very least, console players who have an interest in VR will have to get their console so that's yet another advantage for PlayStation.

 

[TheAssist]

On number of sales of VR headset also outnumbered by PC total VR. Sony should focus on AAA games where they're good at, not waste money on VR

So despite being the oldest headset its still 2nd place in late 2020.
I think more than enough people have stated the importance of growing VR into its own business beyond gaming. Your logic is very flawed.

 

[turtlepowa]

At the very least, console players who have an interest in VR will have to get their console so that's yet another advantage for PlayStation.

Yeah, but if VR really gets big MS could easily make a deal with Oculus without investing tons of money into develpement. But you are right, if MS does nothing VR-wise, some people, like me, will buy a PS5 just for this.

 

[mxbison]

VR is a major part in future gaming, anyone who has tried it probably understands that.

They don't want to be left behind when it really breaks through. Could be another 10 years or more though.

 

[cireza]

You fail to see the point I'm making in contrasting between those that build innovation and those that don't

Microsoft don't build innovation. We got your point.