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Sony Goes Commercial After Virtual-Reality Check on PlayStation VR
Theme parks and videogame arcades seen as possible customers of the virtual-reality headset
By TAKASHI MOCHIZUKI
April 5, 2017 3:53 a.m. ET
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Sony Corp. SNE 0.33% plans to expand marketing of its PlayStation VR virtual-reality headset to commercial customers including entertainment facilities in Japan, people familiar with the matter said, after the technology took hold among consumers at a slower-than-expected pace.
The Japanese group’s videogame arm said last month that it had set up a “location-based entertainment” unit, without giving details. The people said that unit would lead the VR initiative and look for partners in various industries. The plan doesn’t call for Sony to run its own facilities, at least for now, they said.
Since its introduction in October, Sony’s PlayStation VR has been the most popular high-end headset for homes, research firm IHS Markit says, but its adoption has mostly been limited to gadget-savvy game fans. The technology remains unfamiliar to many general consumers.
Sony Interactive Entertainment, the Sony arm in charge of the PlayStation business, said in February it had sold 915,000 units of PlayStation VR in the first four months. The company described the figure as better than expected, but analysts said the number might not be enough to trigger the early momentum that game-machine makers need to drive interest on the part of software developers.
Some PlayStation users who bought the virtual-reality headset have said they put it aside because of the shortage of new games designed for virtual reality.
Sony’s location-based entertainment initiative is partly designed to address the issue by raising awareness and giving people a chance to try out the headsets.
Possible locations for the commercial VR business include videogame arcades, which long ago passed their peak in most countries but remain a niche market in Japan, as well as theme parks and special events, said the people familiar with the matter. Nongame applications may also be studied.
Separately, Sony’s music arm in Japan struck a partnership deal in February with Tokyo-based startup Hashilus, which specializes in virtual-reality technology, to offer entertainment content aimed at public spaces such as museums, landmark buildings and theme parks.
Sony’s rivals in virtual reality have also pursued business-to-business-to-consumer sales for applications such as virtual tours and theme-park attractions. Other virtual-reality devices include Facebook Inc.’s Oculus Rift and HTC Corp.’s Vive, as well as the lower-end gadget Gear VR by Samsung Electronics Co.
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