According to sources from the Android Central site, only two video games are currently in development at Sony for its virtual reality headset exclusive to the PS5.
The PS VR2, soon to be discreetly sidelined?
We did not wait for confessions from Android Central sources to express serious doubts about Sony’s desire to support its headset, launched in February 2023, over the long term. Since its release, barely a handful of compatible games have been released and, for the most part, these have been VR ports of pre-existing titles (Resident Evil Village, Resident Evil 4…).
After rumors regarding the cessation of production of the PS VR2 earlier this year, people close to the matter now seem to tell the American site that only two games are on the program for Sony’s VR headset. This of course excludes possible games developed by third-party studios. But, if this turns out to be true, these low investments say a lot about the brand’s long-term vision for its device.
A peripheral which, as we have said, could possibly find a second lease of life on PC from the month of August. Indeed, Sony has just announced the sale of an accessory allowing its headset to be compatible with SteamVR games, considerably expanding its game library… but effectively depriving the headset of certain key features.
A more cautious industry
The adoption of virtual reality has always been a very delicate subject. Sometimes presented as the future of video games, VR nonetheless remains a niche, reserved for both the most tech-savvy and the wealthiest. The PS VR2 actually costs more than a PlayStation 5.
We must also keep in mind that the video game industry is currently experiencing a crisis. Since the start of 2024, more than 10,800 people have lost their jobs in the sector according to Games Industry Layoffs. Cascading job cuts, layoffs and studio closures, motivated by financial results that are less good than expected after the staggering post-Covid projections, which do not really encourage large groups to bet on horses as capricious as reality Virtual.
In the end, everyone loses. The studios which, like Firesprite, author of the excellent Horizon Call of the Mountainhave lost many talents and seen their budgets melt like snow in the sun, the enthusiasts who rushed to the PS VR2 when it was released, and Sony, which probably finds itself with whole shipments of VR headsets that are impossible to sell lack of attractive games.
