Sony is cutting the cost of its PlayStation VR platform

[Shawn Knight]

Sony’s virtual reality platform will soon be a bit more affordable thanks to a competitor-spurred price cut.

The gaming giant on Monday announced that its existing PlayStation VR Worlds bundle consisting of the VR headset, a PlayStation Camera, two PlayStation Move motion controllers and PlayStation VR Worlds game will be available for just $449 starting September 1 (down from the current asking price of $499).

The core PlayStation VR bundle, meanwhile, will (as of next month) come with a PlayStation Camera – a required piece of hardware that isn’t included with the existing kit. The bundle will retain its existing $399 price point meaning you’re essentially getting the camera for free.

HTC earlier this month dropped the price of its Vive VR headset by $200 which now puts it at $599. HTC’s price cut came in response to Oculus announcing a series of price cuts for the Rift. For a limited time, you can get a Rift and Touch motion controller bundle for $399 (although that’ll eventually jump back up to $499).

Mary Yee, vice president of PlayStation marketing at SIEA, said Sony now has more than 100 VR titles in its lineup including hits like Arizona Sunshine, Superhot, Fantastic Contraption, Dino Frontier and Tiny Trax. New titles are added to this page should you want to keep track of them, Yee notes.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/70755-sony-cutting-cost-playstation-vr-platform.html

 

[9Nails]

Is it any good? Its not like they're giving demos at GaneStop or BestBuy...

 

[Truedats]

Okay, I'm still trying to wrap my head around this. This price drop is for one reason, poor sales. It's a perifrial selling for the price of it's platform that uses it. They are judging that this price is justified because what Oculus sells for. Unfortunately that is an unqualified comparison, people that buy an Oculus or the like, also spent 3-6 thousand dollars on there PC. So by that comparison PS4 VR should be selling for 40 to 50 bucks. Even a bundle of VR, PS Move, and game should be no more than $120. Even with this nominal price drop of $50 will not change there sales numbers. At this point I'm wondering if Sony is taking VR seriously, or if they're betting that it's just a fad.

 

[Truedats]

Is it any good? Its not like they're giving demos at GaneStop or BestBuy...

Not sure, too expensive, lol. But my Gear VR works okay.

 

[kapital98]

Okay, I'm still trying to wrap my head around this. This price drop is for one reason, poor sales. It's a perifrial selling for the price of it's platform that uses it. They are judging that this price is justified because what Oculus sells for. Unfortunately that is an unqualified comparison, people that buy an Oculus or the like, also spent 3-6 thousand dollars on there PC. So by that comparison PS4 VR should be selling for 40 to 50 bucks. Even a bundle of VR, PS Move, and game should be no more than $120. Even with this nominal price drop of $50 will not change there sales numbers. At this point I'm wondering if Sony is taking VR seriously, or if they're betting that it's just a fad.

Sony has had a huge push in funding and supporting game developers. They're the only console that's taken VR seriously.

You're only looking at the demand function (that we don't know based on sales). You're not looking the supply function. It's completely possible the costs of manufacturing have gone down in 2 years. It's extremely likely.

All of these VR headsets started out being sold essentially at cost. Maybe even with a small subsidy. HTC/Oculus/PS all wanted to get VR out there but didn't want to sacrifice quality. That meant high prices.

I don't think the price cuts are an indication of much without more information. Take this as an example, powerful PC's and smartphones are now cheaper than ever, does that mean nobody wants a powerful computer or fancy smartphone?

 

[kapital98]

Is it any good? Its not like they're giving demos at GaneStop or BestBuy...

It's a completely new experience. The Sony VR headset is not as good spec wise as the Rift or Vive but all the reviews have been very positive. It's a full, real VR experience essentially on par with the Rift and Vive. If you have a PS4, and you got the cash, you should do it.

My HTV Vive was a luxury buy. I don't use it enough to really justify it's cost. Still, I don't regret the purchase. When I do use it, OH MAN! It's hard to describe being temporarily within another universe and basically forgetting about reality for an hour.

 

[Kotters]

Okay, I'm still trying to wrap my head around this. This price drop is for one reason, poor sales. It's a perifrial selling for the price of it's platform that uses it. They are judging that this price is justified because what Oculus sells for. Unfortunately that is an unqualified comparison, people that buy an Oculus or the like, also spent 3-6 thousand dollars on there PC. So by that comparison PS4 VR should be selling for 40 to 50 bucks. Even a bundle of VR, PS Move, and game should be no more than $120. Even with this nominal price drop of $50 will not change there sales numbers. At this point I'm wondering if Sony is taking VR seriously, or if they're betting that it's just a fad.

...A VR PC can be built for 600-700 dollars. If you have a basic modern gaming PC, you can do VR. I'm an enthusiast and my PC cost me about 1000. Maybe 1500 if you include the watercooling hobby I started five years after building it. A huge chunk of new Oculus owners bought in because it hit 300-400 dollars, do you really think someone spending 4k on a PC is going to blink at a 200 dollar price cut?

The logic in this post is not only based on false assumptions, it doesn't even follow from said assumptions.

 

[ZackL04]

Okay, I'm still trying to wrap my head around this. This price drop is for one reason, poor sales. It's a perifrial selling for the price of it's platform that uses it. They are judging that this price is justified because what Oculus sells for. Unfortunately that is an unqualified comparison, people that buy an Oculus or the like, also spent 3-6 thousand dollars on there PC. So by that comparison PS4 VR should be selling for 40 to 50 bucks. Even a bundle of VR, PS Move, and game should be no more than $120. Even with this nominal price drop of $50 will not change there sales numbers. At this point I'm wondering if Sony is taking VR seriously, or if they're betting that it's just a fad.

...A VR PC can be built for 600-700 dollars. If you have a basic modern gaming PC, you can do VR. I'm an enthusiast and my PC cost me about 1000. Maybe 1500 if you include the watercooling hobby I started five years after building it. A huge chunk of new Oculus owners bought in because it hit 300-400 dollars, do you really think someone spending 4k on a PC is going to blink at a 200 dollar price cut?

The logic in this post is not only based on false assumptions, it doesn't even follow from said assumptions.

I dont agree, $200 off the Vive is pretty significant. Now $50 off the Sony VR bundle is lame as heck

 

[Scshadow]

Well, Sony can try and push that dead horse all they want. Not that this is a push. This is just a standard price drop. If Sony was really trying to push VR, they would need to find a $200 price drop. I can't spend as much or more on a console accessory then the system itself especially when the adoption rate is so poor and you can't ever expect mainstream support. Niche VR titles aren't worth it. For clarity sake, I'm not saying a $200 price drop is feasible, I'm only saying from my perspective thats what would need to happen to even slightly gain my interest.

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

I never even knew Sony made a VR headset not that it matters at all to me.

 

[ghostf1re]

Okay, I'm still trying to wrap my head around this. This price drop is for one reason, poor sales. It's a perifrial selling for the price of it's platform that uses it. They are judging that this price is justified because what Oculus sells for. Unfortunately that is an unqualified comparison, people that buy an Oculus or the like, also spent 3-6 thousand dollars on there PC. So by that comparison PS4 VR should be selling for 40 to 50 bucks. Even a bundle of VR, PS Move, and game should be no more than $120. Even with this nominal price drop of $50 will not change there sales numbers. At this point I'm wondering if Sony is taking VR seriously, or if they're betting that it's just a fad.

I thought VR would be a fad when it was first being released by Oculus, but to honest, now it looks like a very real thing. Now 3D tv's and gaming, that was a fad. I don't even see 3D tv's selling anymore. Regardless, with all of the R&D going into VR right now and the amount of companies buying into it, it's just the next step in gaming. 5 years down the road, VR will be a lot more affordable and more immersive.

It's also great that HTC and Oculus are competing against each other. It's forcing them both to keep pushing the tech. Just look at the new Oculus controllers and the prototype HTC controllers as an example of what the competition is creating. There's also some smaller companies out there making more simple VR headsets that are actually not bad at all at their price points. The PIMAX being one of them.

 

[hahahanoobs]

Good VR with AAA content is still years away and adoption is slow. These price cuts will help.

 

[alabama man]

What about discounting just the glasses, not only bundles? Bet the batteries on those controllers are nearing expiration date (made for ps3 originally, been in warehouses for years) so their panic selling as much as they can. Shame they didn't discount the device enough, ps4 is bad at running VR and most people don't have nor will get pro. Rift is cheaper and better in every way, they should slash another 100 out of the price or release the best VR porn service ever to save PSVR.

 

[Truedats]

Well, Sony can try and push that dead horse all they want. Not that this is a push. This is just a standard price drop. If Sony was really trying to push VR, they would need to find a $200 price drop. I can't spend as much or more on a console accessory then the system itself especially when the adoption rate is so poor and you can't ever expect mainstream support. Niche VR titles aren't worth it. For clarity sake, I'm not saying a $200 price drop is feasible, I'm only saying from my perspective thats what would need to happen to even slightly gain my interest.

Exactly my point in my original post. I agree completely.