Faced with the challenges encountered by its mixed reality headset, Apple is preparing a major evolution of its gaming strategy. According to exclusive information from Mark Gurman of Bloomberg, the Californian giant is currently developing a strategic partnership with Sony to integrate PlayStation VR2 controllers into the Vision Pro. This initiative could mark a turning point for this premium product which is still struggling to convince, despite its impressive technical characteristics.
An ambitious partnership with Sony
The collaboration project between Apple and Sony, initiated earlier this year, aims to natively integrate PS VR2 controllers into the Vision Pro ecosystem. These discussions resulted in an agreement that has mobilized Sony’s teams for several months. The goal is to offer a more immersive and precise gaming experience thanks to the PS VR2’s 6DOF (six degrees of freedom) controllers.
The controllers would not only be used for gaming: Apple and Sony are also working on their integration for system navigation. The directional pad and analog stick would enable scrolling, while the trigger would replace finger pinching for interactions. Marketing would take place via the Apple Stores, which already offer classic PS5 controllers.
Technical and commercial challenges to overcome
If the Vision Pro has undeniable advantages for gaming (M2 chip, high-resolution screens, immersive audio), several obstacles are slowing down its adoption. Mark Gurman reveals that the 16GB of RAM might be insufficient to handle the numerous sensors, video pass-through and resource-intensive games simultaneously. Enough to leave room for a possible more powerful Vision Pro 2 with more RAM
The development of this support is not without pitfalls: the announcement initially planned a few weeks ago had to be postponed. Sony will notably have to adapt its production to sell VR2 controllers separately from its PS VR2 headset, a first.
A necessary strategic evolution
Apple’s internal figures speak for themselves: less than 500,000 Vision Pros sold since February, and use below expectations for many buyers. To reverse the trend, Apple will have to act on several fronts:
- Invest massively in the development of gaming content, as Meta does for its Quest headsets
- Rethink your marketing strategy to attract players
- Convince developers to create “AAA” games for the platform
Apple had also explored other avenues, such as the development of a “wand” similar to the Apple Pencil for precise control, but this project remains at the prototype stage for the moment. The company seems to have realized that its interface based solely on eye tracking and gestures, although innovative, is not sufficient for certain advanced uses, whether gaming or professional applications like Final Cut Pro or Photoshop. .
Regardless, Apple has its work cut out for it to adapt its products to gaming and appeal to this very specific audience. Both from a marketing and commercial point of view, there is still a lot of work to ensure that the Vision Pro but also the Macs and iPhones are considered real gaming consoles in their own right. The partnership with Playstation goes in this direction, but the progress is far too meager for the moment.
