PlayStation Studios president Shuhei Yoshida has released a surprising statement in which he admits he was wrong about PS VR2, the virtual reality headset launched by Sony in 2023
A dream with a lack of play
While the PS VR2 was initially met with praise for its design and capabilities, the reality is that its performance in the market has left much to be desired. Despite its sleek appearance and technological prowess, the device failed to generate lasting interest, largely due to the lack of exclusive titles to boost its sales.
Yoshida, who was one of the main responsible for the development of the first PlayStation VR, did not hesitate to recognize that PS VR2 did not meet expectations. He recalled that the work on the original version of PlayStation VR was one of the most emotional moments of his career. There, collaboration between the hardware and software teams was essential to creating a product that PS4 players could enjoy.
Recalling that process, Yoshida revealed how a significant moment in the creation of the first PS VR occurred when developers at Santa Monica Studios allowed him to test the device while playing Kratos, from God of war. “This really surprised me,” he commented, which eventually led to the idea of developing a more advanced version for PS4.
The words that left no trace
The conversation quickly turned to PS VR2, whose reception hasn’t been so positive. In a moment of sincerity, Yoshida admitted he was wrong thinking that PS VR2 would follow the same successful path as the PS2. This virtual reality headset, despite its innovative features, had a disappointing start due to its high price and the limited number of games available.
Although the VR2 was officially presented by Yoshida at the Game Developers Conference, he was not involved in its final production, which perhaps explains why he did not want to go into detail about the system. When host Greg Miller said the project was “starting from scratch,” a clearly uncomfortable Yoshida simply acknowledged he had made a mistake without wanting to elaborate further.
An uncertain future for virtual reality on consoles
The VR2 came out in 2023, years after Yoshida left Sony, which may explain his lack of involvement in the device’s final details. Although initially praised, the product failed to stay in the spotlight due to the scarcity of titles available. Added to this is the recent wave of layoffs within the PS VR2 development team, which has made the survival of the platform even more difficult. It’s hard to justify a $550 device when there are very few games available, let alone games from big AAA franchises.
PS VR2 has hit a plateau, and while the technology is impressive, the market has shown that virtual reality may not be the immediate future of gaming. Meanwhile, Sony still has work to do if it wants to revive this hardware segment and make it the centerpiece of its ecosystem.
Yoshida’s comment on PS VR2 reflects a bitter reality for the company: Even the best ideas can stumble when the market doesn’t support them with the same enthusiasm. In time, gamers and the industry at large may shift their attention to other aspects of digital entertainment, leaving behind the promises of virtual reality on consoles.