Sony has decided to temporarily halt the production of the PlayStation VR2. The company's move to pause manufacturing of the PS VR2 is reportedly due to lower than expected sales, leading to an excessive inventory.

The PlayStation VR2 celebrated its first anniversary on February 22. Despite positive reviews, the headset has faced challenges in gaining traction in the market. With a limited launch game lineup and a hefty price tag of $549.99, making it more expensive than the PS5 console required to operate it, the PS VR2 has struggled to attract a significant portion of the 54 million PS5 owners. Sony has refrained from sharing specific sales numbers, hinting at a possible underperformance compared to its predecessor, which reached a million sales within seven months of its late 2016 launch.

Sony Faces Excess PS VR2 Inventory

Allegedly, the slow commercial progress of the PS VR2 has led Sony to pause all production activities. According to a report by Bloomberg's Takashi Mochizuki, Sony made this decision due to a surplus of unsold PS VR2 units that need to be cleared, as per sources familiar with the matter. While Sony has shipped over 2 million PS VR2 units to retailers since its launch, the actual number of units in consumers' hands remains undisclosed.

In response to the lackluster sales, Sony has hinted at making the PS VR2 compatible with PCs, potentially broadening its target audience. This strategic shift aligns with Sony's decision to shut down the PlayStation London Studio in February, which has been dedicated to virtual reality titles since 2016.

Sony has not officially commented on Bloomberg's report. However, in the past, the company has denied rumors only in exceptional cases, such as when it refuted claims regarding PS5 production numbers. The upcoming financial report in May is likely to provide insights into the PS VR2's commercial performance for Sony's fiscal year 2023.