Last Thursday, Bigscreen was pleasantly surprised by the overwhelming demand for their new PC VR headset, the Beyond 2. It stormed past the sales records set by its predecessor, the Beyond 1, in just one day. To put it in perspective, the first day of Beyond 2 sales equaled what the original headset achieved over six months.
The remarkable sales figures kept rolling in after Beyond 2’s launch. Within just 25 minutes, it outpaced the entire first-day sales of the Beyond 1. By the end of the first hour, it had doubled the launch figures of its former model’s debut day. Incredibly, within just 10 hours, Beyond 2 sold more units than Beyond 1 had in its initial four months.
On Friday, Darshan Shankar, Bigscreen’s founder and CEO, shared the most jaw-dropping sales fact with the world. Beyond 2, in its first 24 hours, sold 10 times the number of units that Beyond 1 managed on its first day two years ago. Even more astounding is that Beyond 2’s first day mirrored the sales volume of Beyond 1’s first half-year.
Shankar credited this feat to the enthusiasm around the product rather than hefty marketing spends. “We didn’t shell out money to influencers to hype our product. We avoided costly agency-made videos. Zero advertising dollars were spent,” he pointed out.
However, Bigscreen did send a handful of Beyond 2 units, reportedly around 10, to a select few reviewers. Among those who got an early look were well-known figures like Tested, Thrillseeker, MRTV, and VR Flight Sim Guy.
If you’re catching up on the news, the Beyond 2 comes in two versions: one with eye-tracking technology called Beyond 2e, and a more basic version called Beyond 2. They’re priced at $1,219 and $1,019 respectively. This new headset is a leap forward, featuring the same 1-inch 2,560 × 2,560 micro-OLED displays from the original, but with significant enhancements.
Now, the headset boasts a broader field of view—116 degrees diagonally up from the original’s 102—thanks to a new pancake lens design. Plus, it’s got an adjustable IPD mechanism, all in an ultra-light 107-gram package.
Initially, the first batch for the Beyond 2 was expected to ship in April, while the Beyond 2e was slated for May. However, as of now, new orders for both models are scheduled to ship in June.