Abandoned Discs, Abandoning Virtual Reality: Sony Sold 40 VR Patents to Extremist Meta*

Being a Sony fan and fighting for the company's honor in social media comments is very difficult right now.

Sony has sold over 40 patents related to virtual reality technologies to Meta*. The deal may indicate a reduction in the Japanese company's long-term plans in the VR sector.

According to ZDNet, citing records from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), Meta* has currently acquired 43 VR-related patents from Sony. This is only part of a larger deal.

The agreement between the companies was signed in December 2025. Under its terms, Meta* is ultimately expected to receive rights to more than 400 patents worldwide. Approximately 180 of them are registered in the US, and another 239 relate to patents filed in Japan, China, South Korea, Europe, and other regions.

Sony released PlayStation VR2 on February 22, 2023. At launch, the headset cost $549.99 in the US and £529.99 in the UK. The package included the headset itself, PS VR2 Sense controllers, and stereo headphones.

The device received generally positive reviews from critics. PS VR2 was considered a significant technical step forward compared to the original PS VR for PlayStation 4. However, the high price, lack of backward compatibility with games from the first headset, and a relatively small number of major VR projects became serious obstacles to the device's widespread adoption.