I have had some concerns about the PS5 accessory over the past few weeks since purchasing a PSVR 2 at launch in February It's still early in its lifecycle, but so far Sony hasn't done a great job of convincing me of its long-term future

Of course, the PSVR 2 remains an excellent virtual reality device and is a significant upgrade over its predecessor, but reports of low sales and Sony's surprisingly quiet regarding new software announcements lead me to believe that the PSVR 2 will be the next PlayStation Vita, and I had assumed that it would be the next PlayStation Vita

However, Sony has largely put my fears to rest by announcing initial PSVR 2 sales figures and indicating that the game will be available The future looks bright for Sony's second-generation VR device, but we may need to be a bit patient before something really good comes along

About a month after the PSVR 2 launched on February 22, Bloomberg reported that the VR headset had gotten off to a "slow" start and would likely fail to meet Sony's "high" sales targets Sony refuted this claim, but the report nonetheless took hold, leading to a general feeling that the PSVR 2 was underperforming shortly after its launch

However, Sony now has some solid numbers, and the picture is actually much rosier than the online discourse suggests In the six weeks since its launch, PSVR 2 has sold almost 600,000 units, which is an 8% increase over the original PSVR in the same period

It is also worth noting that these numbers only cover the end of April; PSVR 2 sales are expected to increase further in recent weeks, especially now that the headset is no longer sold exclusively through PlayStation Direct PSVR 2 is currently available at major retailers including Amazon, GameStop, and Walmart

PSVR 2 was released with a reasonably solid selection of games The flagship exclusive Horizon: Call of the Mountain is a great showcase for the headset, and the arcade horror shooter Dark Pictures: Switchback VR is an underrated title that still strikes me as to be terrified But the list of games set to be released for the headset in the coming weeks and months is a bit short at the moment

Fortunately, Sony seems to be making an effort to ensure that the headsets are well supported In an interview with Japanese publication Famitsu, PlayStation boss Jim Ryan assured PSVR 2 owners that "many titles are coming in 2023 and beyond," confirming that Sony wants to ensure that "people who buy PSVR 2 will enjoy it for a long time" These words are comforting, but now we need to see hard evidence Because I ask myself, "Where are the games for PSVR 2?" because I ask myself a little too often

Today's (May 24) PlayStation Showcase 2023 seems like a good time to do so With several new PS5 and PSVR 2 games confirmed for the live-streamed event, it seems certain that Sony will announce at least one major VR-only game at this presentation

Perhaps there will also be news of the rumored PSVR 2 version of Half-Life: Alyx, or a release date for the previously announced port of the popular Beat Saber rhythm game

It seems clear that Sony is considering PSVR 2 for the long term Its initial sales seem quite respectable, but it's not exactly a juggernaut unit shifter yet; it's not exactly a PS5 restocking situation But with only three months since its launch, its heyday is likely yet to come

Sony has almost certainly invested a great deal of money to bring its next-generation VR device to market and will have spent several years in development If the headset is abandoned just a few months after launch, all that effort will have been for naught, so we can rule out the possibility that PSVR 2 absolutely has a future

But just how bright that future will be is the real question now The upcoming PlayStation Showcase should give us an idea of the roadmap for the rest of the year, and I hope headsets remain a major focus for the next few years

Only time will tell if that will be the case, but at least for now, early adopters can rest assured that the game is coming and that Sony is committed to VR headsets for the foreseeable future