The PlayStation VR is the cheapest virtual reality gaming device currently on the market compared with the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, with it currently going for $399. Being sold at a cheaper price compared to the competition is something that Sony isn’t new to, though some have been wondering at what cost the company is doing that.
However, despite some thinking that they could end up selling these devices for a loss, that is not the case. Sony Interactive Entertainment World Studios chairman Shawn Layden recently spoke with Polygon about the device, revealing that “[Sony is] making money on the VR console.”
While this is good news for Sony from a financial standpoint, it’s also good for consumers in the sense that they’re less likely to cut support if sales go south. This is what ended up happening with both the PlayStation Vita and PlayStation Move, so avoiding those situations going forward can only be a good thing.
Now that the PlayStation VR is out, this means that all 3 of the major VR gaming devices are available and fighting for the top spot. It will be very interesting to see how PlayStation VR competes with the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, as it can’t compete from a hardware standard but certainly can from a pricing standard. We’ve yet to get that VR game that turns the industry on its head and results in everyone storming out of their houses to adopt VR, though, and who knows when (or if) that will happen.
