Sony shipped out another 500,000 PlayStation VR headsets during the three month period through June, making it far-and-away the industry leader when it comes to high-level virtual reality experiences. But the extent to which the Japanese giant is dominating the nascent space has group president Andrew House nervous, and he’s perhaps suggested that its competitors need to pull their socks up.
“I‘m not entirely comfortable being the market leader in VR by such a margin that seems to be happening right now,” he told Reuters. “With such a brand new category you want a variety of platforms all doing well to create that rising tide and create the audience.”
While it may seem odd for the market leader to lament its position, House’s point is essentially that PlayStation VR is a very big fish in a minuscule pond. In order for the fledgling technology to really take off, the platform holder knows that other headsets also need to do well.
IDC reports that stronger than expected interest in first-person shooter Farpoint and continued momentum from Resident Evil 7: Biohazard is what’s helped give PlayStation VR an “unmatched” lead over the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, and with a strong selection of software planned for the holidays – including high-profile names like Gran Turismo Sport and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR – would you bet against that gap continuing to grow?
[source uk.reuters.com]
Comments 23
Yet they are fine kicking the console competition with such a large lead. Huh.
Still he has a point. They didnt want it to be a runaway success of a new thing with no one else contributing because...well thats how ya get the motion control bubble again.
Dont oversaturate thr market with just one option and dont get that lead else others will just throw in the towel looking how small the potential market is and how much of it is under one name, at which point the market doesnt grow and stays small as interest and new ideas just floats. It doesnt grow. Just stays. And then whst do you do?
Well done Sony. This time you were too good at what you do. Which is impressive given how hard you drop every other peripheral so well done. Its still not a good position.
I do expect to see the gap widen but again, with no real competition who want to try and fight over such a small market for very little gain considering R&D and the resources needed, and how that market is quickly reaching peak point, dont be surprised if the bubble bursts.
It needs room and reason to grow and all Sony did was dissuade everyone else, leaving them the captain of a ship on a collision course
@BLP_Software "Yet they are fine kicking the console competition with such a large lead. Huh."
The console market is already established; virtual reality is still a fledgling medium. It's good that they recognise it'll take more players than just themselves to make it a success.
@get2sammyb Well Sony just walking and taking the crown after HTC and Oculus did so much cant have been good morale. A new competitor sure, but being swept aside like that?
And I'm sure some certain Zenimax related shenanigans didn't help either. That effectively knocked down one of the three.
And the games are all trending away from the competitors. This is an instance where I cant help but think Sony got too big too fast.
I always said the VR bubble while cool needs time to grow and develop, else itll either be just a fad and burst...like motion controls. Relegated to a side thing if you want it. I couldn't expect Sony would effectively corner the market and push it to a point where they are practically worried they did too well.
Its good that they recognised it, but they also should have seen the very real possibility of having at least some games, their brand and price as a factor in maybe killing the competition, quite literally, and leaving them stuck. It's nice that they know they've made a mess and need competition, but its a bit crap that they are realising this NOW.
I'm honestly surprised that PSVR hasn't died off yet, like previous peripherals.
Great news that it is doing so well.keep the games coming! I am one of the 500 k and absolutely delighted. Just wish the headset was wireless!
Playing superhot last night was so intense - actually having to crouch behind obstacles etc made it feel so much more real. And getting shot made me flinch far more times than I care to admit!
GG Sony we need moar competition.
The reason why PSVR has next to no competition is because Vive and Rift made their products too expensive for what they are plus asking consumers to have a beefy PC is ridiculous. Xbox and Nintendo could have involved but for some reason (Microsoft especially) they prefer not too. So that leaves the mobile companies as the only VR competition.
@adf86 Yeah, it's a shame Microsoft isn't doing it — especially when last year they said they were going to.
Nice to see it sells good.
@get2sammyb Yeah Microsoft saying their going to do something then not doing it is kinda their forte.
Maybe the tech isnt quite there yet to really catch on. It needs to be wireless, convenient and cheap. From what ive seen at demo booths, the vive has calibration issues. The Oculus is too restrictive and the psvr makes you look like an extra from a daft punk music video.
@get2sammyb Microsoft probably didn't want to be beaten by Sony again lol. I just hope that Sony continue to support PSVR in the future, whether it has competition or not. I love mine and I'm shocked how diverse the content is. There have been so many wonderful games/experiences/videos. Tbe immediate future looks positive too. Long may it continue. PSVR 2 with PS5 anyone?
The future is looking bright for psvr, skyrim, doomvr, and zoe2 is a nice surprice. It still need lightgun game like until dawn rush of blood though, I wish sega and namco port all of their lightgun game to psvr.
Looking forward to optional full fledged implementation into single/multiplayer games that have a first-person perspective. So that VR players can play alongside TV players. And just like choosing between 720p,1080p, and 4K. VR would simply become an alternative monitor option for our gaming experiences, across the board.
But yeah, we need further investments in software from major 1st & 3rd party devs if we're ever to come close to that.
@wiiware yeah agreed. Games like time crisis would work a treat; and bringing back something like dead space extraction would be great
The Playstation VR is a great piece of hardware. I'm really glad that the sells are doing fine, and I'm eager to play Skyrim in VR !
I really wanted to get a PS VR when it was released, but I am glad that I held out and used that money on my Switch instead. It's not that I'll never get a VR, but they have to drop the price a few hundred before I buy it.
PSVR is an experience that defies explanation. You literally have to try it to even remotely understand how amazing it is.
Psvr is stunning. Just wish I could play it.
*puts headset on, sweats profusely and throws up!
@CFDennett Try some slower-paced, seated games maybe?
@get2sammyb
Yeah I'm fine with 'static' games like job simulator. Haven't touched far point and the first day I got it and put the driveclub demo on I was sick all weekend! Seriously 2 full days! My 11 year old daughter is fine with it though. First world problems..
I've used a friend's, and I was much more impressed than I thought I would be, even though I'd used VR before and knew pretty much what to expect.
But... I'm still not interested in getting one myself. It's just not how I want to spend my time playing. I'd use it occasionally, and even though it's the cheapest VR option, it's still a lot of money for something which I'd only use a fraction of the time.
I also think they need to revamp the Move controllers in order to maximise the interactivity available. They need to be in pairs, left and right... both having a light and a joystick, and each having the full set of buttons from the respective half of the DualShock.
...VR is the ONLY medium (in my humble opinion) that gives players that 'WOW' moment... if you're a gamer veteran - there's probably not much you haven't seen already.. sure, games are getting shinier and larger, and harder (DS franchise) and more complex, and 4K and teraflops and checkerboarding and so on... but when you see for the first time a star destroyer fly above your head, or when Margeurite makes your life a living hell and scares the bejesus out of you (simply by slamming a door in your face).. or you simply pick up a cowboy and make them ride a dinosaur... all of a sudden, simple things become WOW moments... that first time you go down the lift in Batman VR, that first time you get on the Rush of Blood rollercoaster... the first time you see a boss in Thumper and then look at it on the TV and think "that looks rubbish in 4K, where's the sense of scale?!?!" - that's the magic of VR... it just needs more publishers and developers to realise this and see the potential (and an entirely new market for them to cash in on!)
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