PlayStation VR has found a large on audience on PlayStation 4, selling more than 4 million units and delivering fans a diverse library of games. The peripheral launched well into the console’s lifespan near the end of 2016, but that hasn’t stopped it from surpassing Sony’s expectations.
Speaking to CNET ahead of E3 2019, new PlayStation head Jim Ryan revealed that the current PlayStation VR headset has sold better than Sony had anticipated. About 5 percent of PS4 owners have also invested in PlayStation VR. It sounds small on paper, but considering the ludicrous number of PS4 systems in the wild – it’s closing in on 100 million units sold – it’s still a very impressive feat.
During the interview, Ryan states:
“The current generation of VR has exceeded our expectations. When you step back and look at it — and this is the way I like to look at it — one in 20 of the people who found the money to go out and buy a PlayStation 4, and all the games and peripherals that they enjoyed with that, have also found the money to then go buy the PlayStation VR and all the games and peripherals that go on top of that. And I feel good about that.”
Last August, Sony revealed that more than 21 million games had been sold for PlayStation VR. This was when roughly 3 million headsets had been sold, which means players were buying an average of more than 7 games per headset. More recent VR games, including recent exclusive Blood & Truth, have only helped. The shooter was the first VR game to top the UK sales charts when it released in late May.
Because of PlayStation VR’s success, as well as Sony’s plans to make it function with the next-generation PlayStation, it’s unlikely that support will be dropped anytime soon. Unlike the ill-fated PlayStation Vita or PlayStation TV, Sony continues to see an audience for PlayStation VR, but as a supplement for traditional gaming rather than a replacement for it. Whatever the case may be, we’re just looking forward to seeing what VR experiences its roster of studios has in store for us next.
Gabe Gurwin is a journalist who has been covering the video game and VR industries since 2010. He is a graduate of Ohio University’s E.W. Scripps School of Journalism and has written for sites like IGN, Digital Trends, Lifehacker, and VR Fitness Insider.
