Sony appears to have withdrawn from the VR, XR, and MR headset market after selling 419 global technology patents to Meta. According to a report by ZDNet Korea, these patents were transferred to Meta between June and September of this year.
The patents sold include headset designs, with the agreement to transfer patent rights signed by both companies in December 2025. Of these more than 400 patents, 180 are US patents, while the remaining 239 are registered in China, Europe, Japan, Korea, and other countries.
Sony had only launched two PlayStation VR models, both of which met with somewhat disappointing reception. The number of games supporting VR has also dwindled due to lackluster sales. The PlayStation VR2 was subsequently sold at a discount and can now be used on PCs. Sony's withdrawal from the VR, XR, and MR space was anticipated, following its complete sale of its TV manufacturing business to TCL.
In contrast, Meta is expanding its offerings of smart glasses and smart glasses with built-in screens. The company recently launched Meta VR Glasses, which are smaller than the Meta Quest and Vision Pro yet offer comparable capabilities.
