Reference no: EM133424516
Case Study: Four years since its late 2016 launch, Sony PlayStation Virtual Reality (PSVR) goggles have sold less than 5 million units. Sony said that PSVR "continues to be well-received by people worldwide thanks to its high-quality revolutionary VR experience." "We have been cautious in producing the PSVR to avoid stacking up inventory, but our factories are ready to increase production."
Analysts, however, suggest that PSVR has not been selling fast enough and point to lower market penetration than estimates. VR can potentially be useful in several industries, such as healthcare and medical devices, education, manufacturing and automation, and military training. The gaming industry, however, is expected to find VR most useful. Gamers are usually early adopters of new consumer technology and are willing to spend on new consumer technology. But so far, gamers are not excited enough.
The CEO of Joy Way, a game development company, told investors he is cautious about spending big to create virtual-reality games for PSVR because they might not bring in enough revenue. Game developers are doubtful about the possible gains from games for PSVR as not enough gamers have purchased the console so far.
Reddit PSVR group survey found that 70% of the enthusiastic gamers who purchased the PSVR when it came to the market have stopped using it recently. While they are excited about virtual reality technology, most say they could not find enough software titles or other gamers in a shared digital space to keep them interested.
Sony announced blockbuster titles such as "Final Fantasy XV" from Square Enix Holdings Co. and "Tekken 7" from Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc. are coming for PSVR. Reddit PSVR group members claim that those are mainly adaptations of PlayStation 4 that have limited VR modes exclusively developed for PSVR.
Questions:
1. Which one of Porter's 6 forces is the most relevant in assessing the issues facing PlayStation VR? Explain.
2. What would you advise Sony to do to make PSVR become a mass-market item?