Valve's Vive VR Headset Will Open Pre-orders Next Month

[Steven Bogos]

Valve's Vive VR Headset Will Open Pre-orders Next Month

//cdn.themis-media.com/media/global/images/library/deriv/900/900097.png
Begun, the VR platform wars have.

Well folks, it looks like we've got a brand-new format war upon us, but this time it's taking place in virtual reality. Less than a week after Oculus Sony VR [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/165758-Oculus-Rift-Price] to follow in the coming months...

HTC chief executive Cher Wang confirmed to The Telegraph [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/12092607/HTC-Vive-pre-orders-to-start-on-February-29.html] that pre-orders for the Vive would open on February 29. She says that HTC's partnership with Valve for the VR headset is part of the company's shift in focus away from smartphones. "Yes, smartphones are important, but to create a natural extension to other connected devices like wearables and virtual reality is more important," she said.

She added that fierce competition from cheap Chinese developers and manufacturers is another part of the reasoning behind the shift.

Wang offered no hints on exactly how much the headset will cost, but let's hope the company takes a lesson from Oculus and prices it at a slightly more affordable [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/165769-Oculus-Founder-Justifies-Rifts-599-Price-Tag] price point...

Source: The Telegraph [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/12092607/HTC-Vive-pre-orders-to-start-on-February-29.html]

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[synobal]

Kinda excited to see what the price point for this will be. These are the opening moves for the VR wars and as it stands occulus is in a really weak position if HTC/Valve can get a price point at or lower than what they offer.

 

[dragongit]

You know it's going to be less then 600 dollars. This is just like E3 2013 when Microsoft showed the Xbox One. You can bet your ass Sony was changing their presentation at the last minute, removing the Playstation eye and the move controller, to knock it down 100 bucks, thus giving it the edge in early adoption.

 

[Steven Bogos]

You know it's going to be less then 600 dollars. This is just like E3 2013 when Microsoft showed the Xbox One. You can bet your ass Sony was changing their presentation at the last minute, removing the Playstation eye and the move controller, to knock it down 100 bucks, thus giving it the edge in early adoption.

Bingo. I imagine it was initially planned on being bundled with a steam controller, but considering the lukewarm reception to it, it will most likely be cut to reduce the overall cost.

That means the vive will ship sans headphones and a controller (in all honestly, things that most gamers already have) which, if the rest of the vive is made of the same quality stuff as the rift, should knock the price down to $500.

 

[Baresark]

Should prove interesting, to say the least. Can't wait to see the price point, that is really what is determining whether I jump on the early train for VR.

 

[Jacked Assassin]

Is there an actual competition between all of these VR Headsets?
This is just me (and my confusion) but....

1. Oculus Rift lost all my interest once it was bought by FB so its $600 price didn't bother me at all.
2. The Hardware needed to run Vive sounds like I can't run it on my cheap Steam Machine.
3. I'm confused on Project Morpheus. VR Headsets require more than 1080P and PS4 barely does 1080P.

All of this from what I've read or watched sounds way too soon for a practical VR War. If anything if these three VR Headsets were nations, maybe they'd all die from famine.

I do want VR to be successful, but only because I'm interested in Vivid Vision.

 

[Wackymon]

Personally, I feel like if anyone can get VR into the living room, it'd be this:
When they showcase the new system, invite some random smuck onto the stage. Have them take it on, and try out the demo for a game they've been working on.

Opens on a ship, looking onto the ocean. Clear, empty sea, crashing, maybe not as beautiful as many games. The sea is clear and empty, as you hear someone call from the upper deck, above you.

"Only a month or two left, freeman."

Cue the internet, every games media site, and most gaming communities going apeshit, because HL3 confirmed.

 

[The Rogue Wolf]

Wang offered no hints on exactly how much the headset will cost, but let's hope the company takes a lesson from Oculus and prices it at a slightly more affordable [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/165769-Oculus-Founder-Justifies-Rifts-599-Price-Tag] price point...

I don't think they can beat out the Rift by all that much. Removing the extras is a nice step, but this technology is still high-end and that's going to cost.

 

[Albino Boo]

Wang offered no hints on exactly how much the headset will cost, but let's hope the company takes a lesson from Oculus and prices it at a slightly more affordable [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/165769-Oculus-Founder-Justifies-Rifts-599-Price-Tag] price point...

I don't think they can beat out the Rift by all that much. Removing the extras is a nice step, but this technology is still high-end and that's going to cost.

The advantage that steam have is that they are partnered with HTC. HTC already have a global distribution network setup and have much deeper pockets the Oculus. This means that HTC are going to put much bigger orders in, so the price per unit drops. I know that Oculus have facebook sitting behind them but facebook isn't a consumer electronics company and isn't setup to deal with a world wide hardware release. I wouldn't be surprised if the Valve VR could shave 10% off the manufacturing cost and distribution cost.

 

[fluxy100]

Vive sounds like the name of a vibrator not a VR set.

But on to the actual topic, I'm glad to see competition for the Oculus starting to go out. The only problem is that the Oculus showed their hand too soon and now every other competitor is going to be able to give a lower price. But regardless of price it will be good to have competition in the VR market, it will force the creators to try to improve their products or lower their prices. I'm interested in seeing how this plays out.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Valve's ability to create anything other than games is very impressive, yes.

 

[KyuubiNoKitsune-Hime]

Wang offered no hints on exactly how much the headset will cost, but let's hope the company takes a lesson from Oculus and prices it at a slightly more affordable [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/165769-Oculus-Founder-Justifies-Rifts-599-Price-Tag] price point...

I don't think they can beat out the Rift by all that much. Removing the extras is a nice step, but this technology is still high-end and that's going to cost.

The advantage that steam have is that they are partnered with HTC. HTC already have a global distribution network setup and have much deeper pockets the Oculus. This means that HTC are going to put much bigger orders in, so the price per unit drops. I know that Oculus have facebook sitting behind them but facebook isn't a consumer electronics company and isn't setup to deal with a world wide hardware release. I wouldn't be surprised if the Valve VR could shave 10% off the manufacturing cost and distribution cost.

Along with that, with proper licensing agreements via Valve and Steam, which is a big platform, they could probably cut the costs further than that if they use licenses to help pay for the units. That's how consoles tend to be affordable.

At any rate with more VR hitting the market, things are going to get very very interesting. If Valve/HTC and Sony play their cards right they might end up killing the Oculus Rift beofe it has any decent market penetration.

 

[Laughing Man]

I wouldn't be surprised if the Valve VR could shave 10% off the manufacturing cost and distribution cost.

They also have Valve and their library of games behind them and as we all know instead of spending time creating new games that people may want to play Valve will happily instead spend vast amounts of time making their old games work with technology that no one wants, yeah Linux conversions for the Steam machine I am looking at you.

 

[Xyebane]

I'm hoping in can come in at 500EU/USD, but i'd be suprised. Hopefully the delay is to up the screen from a 1440p to a 2160p screen (as Sony has just released the first UHD smartphone, maybe?). I also hope they sell the Vive without lighthouse to keep costs down, as i don't want to run around my tiny studio with VR goggles.

 

[Ishigami]

The dream dancers of this board still amaze me. Be prepared to be disappointed.

You know it's going to be less then 600 dollars. This is just like E3 2013 when Microsoft showed the Xbox One. You can bet your ass Sony was changing their presentation at the last minute, removing the Playstation eye and the move controller, to knock it down 100 bucks, thus giving it the edge in early adoption.

And what will HTC and Valve remove to reduce the price? The VR controllers? - Wow... now you can price it the same as the Rift.

I'm hoping in can come in at 500EU/USD, but i'd be suprised. Hopefully the delay is to up the screen from a 1440p to a 2160p screen (as Sony has just released the first UHD smartphone, maybe?). I also hope they sell the Vive without lighthouse to keep costs down, as i don't want to run around my tiny studio with VR goggles.

The pushed the release back to include the front camera and add software to give a wireframe outline of object nearby in the real world.
May want to check up on some news.

Calling 800$ ex. tax for US now, Europe 1000$ inc tax.
If Oculus is not lying about their production costs then HTC and Valve will not undercut them.

 

[Ishigami]

Just found this one:

http://www.pcgameshardware.de/HTC-Vive-Hardware-261074/News/VR-Brille-koennte-bis-zu-1500-US-Dollar-kosten-1183063/

Hie? es in Branchenkreisen zuletzt noch, dass die HTC Vive um die 1.000 US-Dollar kosten k?nnte, nennt das aus HTCs Heimatland stammende Nachrichtenmagazin Focustaiwan.tw unter Berufung auf ausl?ndische Investementunternehmen gar rund 1.500 US-Dollar als m?glichen Kostenpunkt.

Rough translation:

Recently branch circles estimated about 1000$ for the HTC Vive however the newsmagazin Focustaiwan.tw from the homeland of HTC estimates even up to 1500$ based on foreign investment companies.

I believe that no globaly operating tech company is able to beat their competitor's product and undercut their price considerably at the same time.
It never happened with Nvidia and ATi and it never happened with Intel and AMD.
Why would Oculus and HTC be any different?

 

[RicoADF]

I wouldn't be surprised if the Valve VR could shave 10% off the manufacturing cost and distribution cost.

They also have Valve and their library of games behind them and as we all know instead of spending time creating new games that people may want to play Valve will happily instead spend vast amounts of time making their old games work with technology that no one wants, yeah Linux conversions for the Steam machine I am looking at you.

I quite like those conversions, my linux machines all have Counter Strike and L4D2 installed thanks to this.

I also agree that Valve/HTC have a good position, as stated HTC already builds high end phones so already have distribution and Valve make games so they can make new and port their old catalog to boost interest. Good combination.

 

[Laughing Man]

'and Valve USED TO make games so they can port their old catalog to boost interest.'

Sorry I had to correct you there, what's more worrying is that their is more than a few gamers out there that seem to think that Valve are holding back HL3 details because they are going to announce it as some great big sales driver for their VR headset.