Research shows that VR was a hit category for Black Friday… In the UK. What about in the US?

I hope that you’re still enjoying all of the cool stuff that you’ve gotten for yourself — and the ones you love — during Black Friday of 2023. And hopefully, among all those delicious tech-treats, you’ve chosen to get yourself one of the best VR headsets too.

No, seriously, if there was ever a time to become a VR enthusiast: it’s 2023. We’re not only on the verge of getting super exciting high-end models, but headsets that can provide an all-around solid XR experience are now more affordable than ever.

Well, then if that is indeed the case and not just a claim that I’m making in an article I’m writing, can I present some sort of data to back up my words? Well, sure. After all, I am writing the article.

And it seems like the category of VR had its biggest ever revenue week during Black Friday of 2023 over in the UK.



The numbers! The numbers, what do they mean? Well, let’s start with where they’re coming from: market research company GfK. Judging by the team’s estimates, headset unit sales have increased by 33% when compared to last year. And that, of course, leads to a revenue increase too, by 17%. Neat!

All of this ties together nicely with me mentioning how a solid VR experience is now more affordable than ever. I mean, the fan-favorite Quest 2 is still very much up-to-date and it was on a deep discount throughout the shopping bonanza, making for a great deal for anyone looking to get into VR.

So while the Quest 3 wasn’t on sale — which Meta claims is completely intentional — you can probably start to see why the Quest 2 is outselling Meta’s latest headset. And that’s just Meta’s stuff! The Pico 4, for example, wasn’t just on sale, but it also came with three big-name titles for free.

But here’s my question: when can we see data like this for the US and other countries? I mean, if this is anything to go by, having access to more info like this can paint us a broader picture.

Which is important, because as you may remember, I still need to convince you that I’m right. But hey, even if this isn’t getting my point across completely, I can at least say this: 2024 is going to be a really fun year for VR, so I hope that you’ll come along for the ride.