Sony Will Sell PlayStation VR At A Profit, Not As A Loss Leader
During a conversation with Sony vice president of publisher and developer relations Adam Boyes, our discussion turned to pricing of the PlayStation VR. Sony has managed to undercut Oculus and HTC, bringing virtual reality to consumers this fall for an all-in price of $810 for the console, headset, and sold-separately camera.
Boyes mentioned to us that, while he doesn't know the specifics of how Sony managed to cut that price down, the company didn't sacrifice its bottom line. Sony will not be selling the PSVR as a loss leader (a subsidized piece of hardware that will recuperate losses on companion software sales). Most consoles launch below cost to create an install base, with the difference made up in software sales and licensing.
"I think for us, we weren't really looking at the other guys," Boyes says. "The same goes for the price point. It wasn't predicated on anyone else's prices. 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."
