We're still in the early stages of VR gaming, but it looks like Sony is already reaping reward from its maiden venture. According to The New York Times, Sony has sold 915,000 PlayStation VR headsets as of Feb. 19. The headset, which went on sale in October, has outsold both the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive combined.
According to research firm SuperData Research, the Oculus Rift sold 243,000 units and the HTC Vive sold 420,000 as of the end of 2016. While the data didn't account for the past month and a half, it's important to note that the Rift went on sale in March while the Vive went on sale in April, giving both headsets a significant headstart in sales. What's more, there's little evidence to suggest either headset will see a major swing in sales to match Sony.
While the industry regarded virtual reality technology as the biggest thing to come to gaming in years, Sony execs were rightfully wary of VR's success and how quickly the technology will be embraced by mainstream consumers. Erring on the side of caution, Sony did not make many:
“It’s the classic case in any organization — the guys who are on the front end in sales are getting very excited, very hyped up,” said Andrew House, global chief exec of Sony Interactive Entertainment. “You have to temper that with other voices inside the company, myself among them, saying let’s just be a little bit careful.”
In turn, PlayStation VR stock in retail stores have been scarce, particularly in Japan where, as House explained, "You literally have people lining up outside stores when they know stock is being replenished."
Sony's internal goal for the PlayStation VR was to sell one million units within the first six months. With more than a month to sell less than 85,000 units to reach the one million mark, the trends suggest Sony will likely surpass its expectations.
Compared to the Oculus or the HTV Vive, the PlayStation VR is more affordable and does not need a powerful PC unit to run it. Secondly, creators are also more eager to develop games for the PS VR. While most games are relatively shorter, novel experiences, Capcom's Resident Evil 7 biohazard offered a full-PlayStation VR experience that, according to House, doubled the average amount of playtime that the users get out of their PlayStation VR.
Do you have your own PlayStation VR headset? How do you like it? Let us know in the comment section below!
