Don’t go boxing your original PlayStation VR headset still, virtual reality fans. A new report suggests that the PS5in PSVR 2 headset won’t be ready for another year yet.
This is according to the YouTube leaker PSVR without parole (by Path to VR), which has already accurately leaked some PSVR 2 specs. The YouTuber claims that the PlayStation VR 2 will miss the crucial Christmas holiday window of 2022 and will instead make its debut in Q1 2023.
Citing “reliable sources”, it appears that the continued delay is due to the shortage of stock from the accompanying console itself, which remains difficult to track. And with the global supply chain still recovering after two grueling years of pandemic problems, that is unlikely to change anytime soon.
Virtually drip powered
Very early on in the life of the PS5, and long before many gamers got their hands on a PlayStation 5, we knew that a successor to the PSVR was waiting in the wings. But rather than throwing a big reveal event for the headset, Sony favored a trickle feed of information into the device.
First they told us it was coming, then they showed us their orb controllers. CES 2022 has finally revealed the PSVR 2 spec sheet and, after months of waiting, Sony has given us our first look at what the headset it will really look like just last week.
With the timeline extended up until the proposed launch here, it’s no wonder Sony is breaking down the details – after all, we’re still awaiting the reveal of pricing, games and a precise release date.
When you look at the sales figures compared to the lifespan of PS4 and PS5 VR presentations, the PS5 is falling behind. Sony put about 40 million PlayStation 4 consoles into homes in time for the original PSVR’s release. But slowing sales forecasts due to inventory shortages means it’s more likely that there will be just 32 million PS5s in the wild by Christmas 2022.
It makes sense, then, that Sony would expect a later release date when the console has a larger install base: the marketing spend for a release like this can be phenomenally high, and you only get one chance to make a good first impression. If you’re teasing a cool-looking accessory when players can’t even get the console it’s associated with, it can feel like rubbing salt in the wounds.
In the meantime, PS5 owners will have to make do with the old PlayStation VR headset, which is being kept alive by a reasonably generous stream of ‘free’ games as part of the Playstation Plus subscription service.
