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PlayStation VR likely to be in short supply - Sony

With big questions about consumer uptake of VR, expect conservative shipments of new headset

Launching a VR headset isn't an easy task, it seems. Oculus and HTC both encountered problems launching the Rift and Vive, respectively, and now Sony is bracing for issues as well. Speaking with CNBC, Sony Interactive Entertainment president and group CEO Andrew House said the company is expecting shortages of the headset at launch.

"We have growing confidence that we'll be supply constrained with this product, but we'll do our very best to meet demand," House said. "Virtual reality is a medium that's in its infancy. With such a nascent, very new form of storytelling, it's difficult to predict what user uptake is going to be."

He added, "We're obviously very excited about the overall future potential for virtual reality and we think it's the right opportunity to start to build a market. But we need to keep reminding ourselves that you're requiring a very different user engagement than we have seen previously. ... The experiences we are delivering are truly transformative for gaming and that will inspire a certain audience. How large that audience is remains to be seen."

House also said PSVR titles would typically sell for between $20 and $40, though there will be outliers.

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Brendan Sinclair

Managing Editor

Brendan joined GamesIndustry.biz in 2012. Based in Toronto, Ontario, he was previously senior news editor at GameSpot in the US.