Oculus’s Former CTO Doesn’t Expect The PS VR2 To Be Successful

With only a few weeks remaining in its release, the PS VR2 is all the rage in the gaming world. Sony has been hyping up the console for over a year with extensive marketing and a star-studded game lineup. However, the former Chief Technology Officer of Oculus thinks the headset will not be a massive success.

John Carmack, who is also the founder of Id Software, thinks the PS VR2s price point will hold it back. Even though the specs are really impressive, the $600 price tag will result in it not being very successful. When you consider how most people will need a PS5 alongside it, Carmack’s point does make sense.

I don’t expect PSVR2 to be very successful at $600, but technically, with a directly connected OLED display and decent ray tracing performance, it is an opportunity to implement just-in-time ray tracing for couple-millisecond 6DOF motion-to-photons latency, which I would really

— John Carmack (@ID_AA_Carmack) January 26, 2023

Like other tech markets, the Virtual Reality sector is regularly getting major new releases. Apple‘s rumored VR headset is going to be a launch that will shake up the industry with its touchless controllers. However, the new headset currently on the horizon is Sony’s PS VR2, which will release this month.

PS VR2 is an exciting innovation in the VR industry with its amazing specs and brilliant launch lineup. It’s hard to find another headset that will have A-listers like Resident Evil Village, Horizon Call of the Mountain, and a Star Wars game on launch. But even with this star power behind it, fans have been doubting how successful the headset is.

Bloomberg previously reported that Sony cut the projection for PS VR2 in half after disappointing pre-orders. Even though the company clarified that nothing like this has happened, people are still skeptical about how successful the headset will be. Granted, the PlayStation 5 is in a better position now, but PS VR2 is still really pricey.

And this price point is the reason former Oculus CTO John Carmack thinks the headset won’t break any records. On his official Twitter account, the founder of Id Software tweeted that he doesn’t expect the PS VR2 to be very successful. The reason for this is the headset’s hefty price, according to Carmack.

PS VR2 will retail at $550, but after taxes, it will cost $600 in most regions around the world. When you compare it to other headsets like Meta Quest 2, which is only $400/ $500, this is a major increase. So, it’s not wrong to say that the ex-Oculus VR CTO does have a point.

Carmack did praise the specs of PS VR2 in the tweet, saying its directly connected OLED display is magnificent. He also applauded the ray-tracing approach of the headset, saying it will lead to low latency. But, even with the stunning tech to power it, the PS VR2 will not sell very well, according to Carmack.

Addressable market size matters much more to developers than global coverage. A 5M market size distributed across every country is much less attractive than a 10M market in a smaller set of countries. In fact, equal sized markets would favor fewer countries — less work.

— John Carmack (@ID_AA_Carmack) January 26, 2023

While responding to a fan, he said that the headset’s global market would not make it a success. According to John Carmack, a more targeted approach in a smaller region is more important to developers. Essentially, more consumers in fewer regions are better than fewer consumers in more regions.

Hence, the worldwide demand for the PlayStation 5 won’t help the headset much. PS VR2’s price will be its demise, especially when you consider how people have to purchase a PS5 too. In certain countries, the total for these two comes up to $1,150, and not many people will pay that price in this economy.

John Carmack is not saying this out of bitterness either, as he criticized the price of Meta Quest Pro. He called its price point dubious, and considering how it costs $1,499, he isn’t wrong. So, a comment like this from an industry expert does add to the doubt people have about PS VR2’s success.

I had to send my prototype Quest Pro back when I left Meta. I have a new retail one on the way. I do find it a better headset, just at a dubious price point.

— John Carmack (@ID_AA_Carmack) February 2, 2023

Only time will really tell how its release pans out. Will PS VR2 be a success or a failure for Sony? Tell us in the comments below.