PlayStation VR Is Being Sold at a Profit, Says Sony

Sony is making a profit on PlayStation VR, according to Shawn Layden, chairman of Sony Interactive Entertainment Worldwide Studios.

"We're making money on the VR console," Layden said, speaking to Polygon. Although he didn't elaborate any further, his comments echo what former PlayStation developer relations exec, Adam Boyes, said in March.

"Obviously we need to make money on the unit, but we've been in the consumer electronics business for a long time, so our ability to source great, high quality parts is a big part of it," he said. "Every device we've sold since PlayStation 4 has been in the black."

This is uncommon as, for the most part, games hardware is sold at a loss at point of sale. Those losses are usually recouped through software sales. This isn't the case for PlayStation VR, according to Layden.

PS VR launched on October 14 for $400 or $500 in a bundle with a PS4 camera (required for using it on PS4) and other accessories. It is forecasted to sell around 1.6 million units worldwide before the end of the calendar year, according to research from an analyst firm.

In GameSpot's PlayStation VR review, Jimmy Thang said "it trips up too many times to wholeheartedly recommend at this point."

He continued: "PSVR is more affordable, but it also takes shortcuts. While it sometimes works surprisingly well given these constraints, it reminds me of the adage, 'you get what you pay for.'"

"While there are a handful of fun titles, there’s nothing that I’ve played at launch so far to indicate to me that the PSVR is a must-buy right now. For everyone else, I’d recommend saving up for a better reality."