How Apple Vision Pro Failed as a Gaming Device in the Market?

Apple Vision Pro was launched with much fanfare, and even before the product was launched in the market, tech websites were busy analyzing the leaks around its expected specs and features. You would remember, while Vision Pro was in the making, there was enough excitement in the community around the new Mixed Reality technology that the headset was based on. So, why the product failed, despite it being perfect in every way?

Apple’s Marketing Strategy for Vision Pro Went Wrong

Apple has always been regarded as a leader in technological innovation, and the technical specs of Vision Pro are extraordinary. Vision Pro’s impressive specifications like its Mac-Grade M2 Chip, incredible display, onboard App store, immersive audio technology, and advanced sensors make it a perfect device for gaming. Still, the product failed as a gaming device in the market, and that can be owed to Apple’s wrong marketing strategy. Since the launch of the product in February the company has sold less than half a million units and most of the customers who have purchased the product are not using it very frequently. So, where did Apple fail in marketing Vision Pro?

According to Mark Gurman of Bloomberg “Apple should have made gaming a priority by creating its own hand controllers and building a service specifically for the device. It also could have helped fund the development of big-budget games — the kind of “AAA”-level titles that entice an audience.” So, keeping that perspective in mind, it would not wrong to say that Apple failed to position Vision Pro as a gaming device.

Getting deeper into it, you would find that Apple Vision Pro is now being used more as a communication device or a device for viewing immersive media, or for doing some light computer-based work. This doesn’t justify its high price tag of $3500, and Macrumors has also revealed in a post that the device does not fit into existing workflow for most people. They have also stated that most consumers have struggled to find a day-to-day use for the device. So, gaming could have been an excellent use of such a high-tech device, as the device would not have failed to deliver an amazing gaming experience in any way.

How Apple’s Vision Pro Failed as a Gaming Device?

• Apple’s app store does not have many compelling titles, and Apple did not take any extra effort beyond supporting its existing Arcade service and allowing people to use PlayStation 5 and Xbox controllers. In short Apple could have gone the other way round and like its competitors, relied heavily on games to drive demand for the product. Now, the situation demands an investment from Apple’s side in tens and millions of dollars, if they really want the developers to create games for a product that has an uncertain future and a small user base.
• Apple should have chosen to make gaming a priority and focused on creating its own hand controllers and building a service specifically for the device. It could have also helped in the development of big-budget AAA titles like GTA 6 by funding the development process.
• Apple Vision Pro does not support the advanced hand controllers that actually make gaming on the competitor’s headsets fun and interesting. So, content along with controller support is a major issue with Vision Pro when it comes to gaming.

Steps Apple is Taking to Reposition Vision Pro as a Gaming Device?

All hopes are not lost and there is news that Apple has now tied up with Sony Group Corp. to support third-party hand controllers in the device’s visionOS software. Earlier this year the two agreed on launching support for the PlayStation VR2’s hand controllers on the Vision Pro. On the content front Apple is talking to third-party developers and asking them to integrate support into their games. This step is in the right direction, as the currently supported PS5 and Xbox controllers are optimized for living room consoles, not for virtual reality devices. Apple needs dual hand controllers that support six degrees of freedom (6DOF) like the one that is provided by the Sony VR headset.

Apple really needs to work on the technical aspects like content and controllers, and obviously on its marketing strategy in order to give a fresh, new look to the Vision Pro. Apple Vision Pro needs to be positioned by Apple as a gaming device, so that the device can reach maximum number of consumers in the market.

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