PSVR reaches 1 million units sold – and E3 will hit the virtual reality motherlode

Is virtual reality on the edge of going mainstream? That seems to be the suggestion with the latest sales figures from Sony – its PlayStation VR headset has hit 1 million units sold since going on sale back in October of 2016.

That compares very favorably to the rival HTC Vive and Oculus Rift headset sales, which have managed (according to third-party stats) just about half that number and a third respectively.

However, there's still ground to be made up against the mobile-orientated Samsung Gear VR, which has sold more than 5 million around the world – though that number will be inflated by phone giveaway promotions and the fact that it need not appeal to prior PC or PlayStation 4 owners.

Room to grow

With 60 million PlayStation 4 consoles sold, there's definitely room for the platform to expand. 1 million sales looks relatively paltry given the overall userbase.

But it's still a relatively nascent accessory for Sony, having been on sale for little more than 6 months. Supply chain problems didn't do much to help either, with demand outstripping supply at the end of last year. But for those that are invested in the platform, they're committed, which each PSVR owner having purchased a modal average of 5.25 games.

Sony is looking to fix any lingering issues this year, promising a robust supply line in time for Christmas, and a big line-up of VR titles at this year's E3 conference, including entertainment properties with a Breaking Bad VR partnership teased.

With Farpoint VR leading the charge, supply waiting in the wings, and a captive audience looking for more software, the pieces of the puzzle have finally come together for Sony's big VR promotional push.