PlayStation VR2 was supposed to mark Sony's entry into the next generation of virtual reality - with high-quality technology, eye-tracking, OLED displays and a promise of immersive AAA gaming. However, around two years after the launch, it is clear that the euphoria was unfounded. And when a name like Resident Evil 4 fails to generate enthusiasm, then the entire platform is in a bad way.
When even Resident Evil doesn't inspire VR enthusiasm
According to the latest official figures from Capcom just 199,500 players have played the VR mode of Resident Evil 4 Remake tried out. This corresponds to 2.18 % of the total player base. For a game that was touted as a system seller for the PlayStation VR2, this is downright shameful. The figures are not only sobering, they are an indictment of Sony's VR ambitions. For comparison: Resident Evil 7which still ran on the old PlayStation VR headset, has reached over 1.2 million VR players - and that on a technically much weaker platform.
So why this decline? There are many reasons - and they are systemic. It starts with the pricing: PlayStation VR2 was more expensive at launch than the console itself. Although Sony has prices have been reduced in the meantimebut once you've been put off by a 600-euro label shock, it's not easy to go back. This move simply came too late. Added to this is a meagre range of software, which at best shines with ports, but hardly develops its own visions. The VR mode of Resident Evil 4 Remake is technically solid, but ultimately just a gimmick for which you don't buy a new system.
An expensive headset without convincing content
And this is precisely where the core problem lies: Sony expects its players to be willing to invest without taking any bold steps itself. Where are the big first-party titles? Where are the exclusive experiences that you absolutely need to own VR2 for? must? Instead there are games like Resident Evil Villagewhere Capcom does not even publish the number of VR players - presumably because it is similarly low.
When even a huge name like Resident Evil can only attract just under 200,000 players to the VR mode, how are smaller studios that rely on the VR2 platform supposed to survive? It is an economic vabanque game in which publishers and developers are increasingly losing interest. And rightly so: development in VR is more costly and currently offers hardly any return on investment. So why develop for a target group that apparently doesn't even exist?
Of course there are bright spots. Titles like the soon to be published Pirates VR: Jolly Roger or Wanderer: The Fragments of Fate show that creative design and solid technology can also work on a small scale. However, these games are niche products in a market that is actually striving for mass appeal. Sony has tried to dominate the VR market with premium technology - and has obviously missed out on reality in the process.
The figures around Resident Evil 4 VR are not just statistics - they are a symptom. A symptom of the fact that Sony's VR train is hurtling at full throttle towards a dead end. As long as there is no convincing content that goes beyond "nice extras", PlayStation VR2 will remain a toy for technology enthusiasts. There is no incentive for the masses - and no economic sense for publishers. Resident Evil 4 was a wake-up call. But it seems that no one wants to hear it.
My prediction: PlayStation VR2 will be Sony's last attempt to gain a foothold in this market. Anything else would be pure VR illusion - only without a headset.
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