Sony's PSVR 2 ad with Bella Ramsey highlights one of the reasons the PS5 headset isn't selling

This is a fun ad for Gran Turismo 7, but it does little to help sell the PSVR 2

(Credit: Sony)

I like Bella Ramsey – I’m sure a lot of people do. She was one of the standout actresses in Game of Thrones and her depiction of Ellie in The Last of Us TV show – while a little predictable towards the end – was generally well-received.

However, no matter how convincing an actress Bella can be, she doesn’t have the chops to sell Sony’s PSVR 2 headset. To be honest, I don’t think anyone realistically can.

The problem with the PSVR 2 is that it’s something that has to be experienced first-hand. Watching someone feign excitement while we see a 2D version of a VR game on a flat screen isn’t going to cut it, as it isn’t representative of what the game actually looks like with the headset on.

➡️ The Shortcut Skinny: new PSVR 2 advert

• 🆕 Sony has released a new advert for the PSVR 2

• 🎮 It shows Bella Ramsey of The Last of Us fame playing Gran Turismo 7

• 🚗 Gran Turismo 7 is one of the best PSVR 2 games

• 🤔 But it doesn’t really do a convincing job of selling the benefits

It’s great to see Sony hiring some big names to push PSVR 2, though. The PS5 headset has got off to a slow start, and speaking from my own experience, my PlayStation VR2 is sitting gathering dust right now as it has a tendency to make me feel sick.

I’ve questioned whether PSVR 2 is already dead due to some of the headset and VR’s limitations in general, and while that might sound like a knee-jerk reaction considering PlayStation VR2 is only a few months old, marketing the benefits of virtual reality continues to be a real challenge. Sadly, it’s impossible to get around.

Word of mouth, great games, and hands-on demos are Sony’s best bet for shifting more units. Some more of the best PS5 games getting free PSVR 2 upgrades will also help the headset’s fortunes.