Summary
If you’re one of the many wondering where the games are, when it comes toSony’s PlayStation VR2 headset, then you’re not alone. That’s because after launching withan original Horizon title in the form of Horizon: Call of the Mountainas well as VR functionality for the likes ofGran Turismo 7andResident Evil Village, things have been remarkably quiet on the VR front.
Of course,the popular rhythm game Beat Saber made its way to PS VR2, as well asVR functionality for Capcom’s Resident Evil 4, but when it comes to first-party releases, it’s been pretty dire. The last bit of notable news forthe PS VR2 was the announcement of PC functionality. That functionality, though,is paywalled behind a proprietary $60 cable.
Now, it looks like there’s a reason why that has been the case, and it paints a pretty grim picture of the future of the PS VR2 headset.
Sony Reportedly Making Cuts To VR2 Funding
In a new report from Android Central’s Nicholas Sutrich, it appears that Sony is making deep cuts to the funding of VR games. In other words, according to Sutrich, there will be far fewer opportunities for studios to participate in VR game development. In a further bit of reporting, Sutrich notes that a source informed him that only two PS VR2 titles are being worked on at Sony. Sutrich personally believes that the titles will not see the light of day, though what those titles are and their release windows remains to be seen.
Of course, this information is specifically in relation to the development of first-party titles. That’s because third-party titles are seemingly still in the works for the successor to the PS VR headset. Just last month at Sony’s State of Play, Skydance Games' Behemoth received a reveal trailer. That game is earmarked for a VR2 release, and is not a first-party.
That said, the lack of first-party support is certainly worrying for those who invested in the headset. The original PlayStation VR received a smattering of first-party support, including Team Asobi’s Astro Bot Rescue Mission.Astro Bot will now go on to star in its own solo adventure later this year, but VR2 functionality remains to be seen. It would be a massive bummer, considering thatAstro Bot’s popularity is due in part to PlayStation VR.
It also doesn’t help that Sony has shuttered London Studio, which was responsible for a handful of VR titles. Elsewhere,First Contact Entertainment also announced its closure. Even with ongoing third-party support, only two games in development at the first-party level paints a grim picture for Sony’s own PS VR2 plans, so it’ll be interesting to see how the tech giant navigates the headset moving forward.
