Don’t go boxing up your original PlayStation VR headset just yet, virtual reality fans. A new report suggests that the PS5’s PSVR 2 headset won’t be ready for another year yet.
That’s according to YouTube leaker PSVR Without Parole (via Road to VR), who has accurately leaked some PSVR 2 specs already. The YouTuber claims that PlayStation VR 2 will miss the crucial Christmas 2022 holiday window, and will instead make its debut in the first quarter of 2023.
Citing “credible sources”, it seems the continued delay is due to ongoing stock shortages of the accompanying console itself, which remains difficult to track down. And with the global supply chain still recovering after two gruelling years of pandemic problems, that’s unlikely to change anytime soon.
Virtually drip fed
Very early on in the PS5’s lifetime, and long before many gamers got their hands on a PlayStation 5, we were aware that a PSVR successor was waiting in the wings. But rather than dropping a huge reveal event for the headset, Sony has favored a drip-feed of information on the device.
First, we were told it was coming, then we were shown its orb-like controllers. CES 2022 finally revealed the PSVR 2 spec sheet and, after months of waiting, Sony gave us our first look at what the headset will actually look like just last week.
With the extended timeline until release proposed here, it’s no wonder Sony is ekeing out the details – after all, we’re still waiting for pricing, games and a precise release date to be revealed.
When you look at the sales figures compared to the lifespan of the PS4 and PS5’s VR introductions, the PS5 is trailing behind. Sony had put around 40 million PlayStation 4 consoles into homes in time for the original PSVR’s release. But slowing sales forecasts due to stock shortages mean there are more likely to be just 32 million PS5s in the wild come Christmas 2022.
It makes sense then that Sony would wait for a later release date once the console has a bigger install base: marketing spends for a launch 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 gamers can’t even get the console it’s associated with, it could feel like rubbing salt in the wounds.
In the meantime then, PS5 owners will have to make do with the old PlayStation VR headset, which is being kept alive by a reasonably generous flow of ‘free’ games as part of the Playstation Plus subscription service.