Sony Stops Selling PSVR 2 on PlayStation Store in US and Japan

Sony's official stores in several key nations have stopped stocking the PlayStation VR2, adding to doubts about the company's virtual-reality ambitions.

Sony's PlayStation VR2 might be on its way out, at least in terms of direct retail support. The virtual reality headset, launched with much fanfare, is no longer available for purchase on the official PlayStation Store in the United States and Japan. The item is still available in certain other locations, but the development has spurred further speculation that Sony is quietly pulling out of the VR hardware business.

Sony has stopped selling the PSVR2 directly through the PlayStation Store in the United States and Japan, Road to VR reports. The shop now directs users to third-party sellers instead of selling the headset. Availability has not been completely eradicated. You can still get the headset in many places, including the UK, Europe, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

While Sony has not officially declared the end of PSVR 2, the latest update doesn't seem like a good sign for the device's future. Its retail availability appears to be shrinking, and the company has offered gamers little incentive to believe a major investment in virtual reality gaming is forthcoming.

To be fair, the warning signs were there for a while. PSVR 2 is a big leap forward from the previous PlayStation VR, but it hasn't managed to garner the momentum Sony surely wanted. The headset has impressive hardware, including eye tracking, improved haptics, and better visuals. But strong hardware alone isn't enough to support a full platform.

One of the biggest problems has been the absence of consistent first-party support.

Sony hasn't released enough must-have exclusives to make PSVR 2 a must-have for PlayStation owners. We've seen some really interesting things from various third-party developers, but the library as a whole has struggled to give people a reason to explore virtual reality. But is PSVR 2 really the problem, or is the wider VR game industry still searching for an audience?

Virtual reality gaming has been trying to reach new heights for years, but it hasn't yet become the popular experience many thought it would be. Compared to traditional gaming, VR is less accessible due to high hardware costs, limited software libraries, and the extra setup needed to play VR games.

Sony may be admitting the market isn't delivering the results needed to justify further investment. It feels less likely we'll get a PSVR 3 in the future as the business becomes more selective about its hardware ventures. That doesn't mean the PSVR 2 is now entirely worthless, however. Indeed, its interoperability with PC gaming provides the headgear a reason to exist outside of the PlayStation ecosystem. 

Thanks to the official PC adapter, users can access a wider choice of VR games, making the device more versatile than it was at launch.

And there could be some fun bargains ahead, too. If Sony and retailers start moving their remaining stock, though, the PSVR 2 could become a lot cheaper in some territories. If you've been waiting for a more affordable way into VR gaming, this might be the perfect moment to buy.

Then there's the fact that Sony has pulled PSVR 2 from its US and Japanese marketplaces for now, which is another concern for the platform. Whether this is just a retail adjustment or the beginning of a broader pullout is unknown. But with first-party support already thin, one big question remains. Will PSVR 2 be Sony's last big push to bring virtual reality gaming to PlayStation?