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Ahead of the official price announcement comes the leak that the virtual reality device, the HTC Vive, will run you $799 (USD) when it's released in early April (2016). That puts the price of the device at a cool $200 more than its nearest competition, the Oculus Rift.And cue the outrage!
The difference here is that the SteamVR powered HTC Vive comes with two "Lighthouse" base stations that use lasers to more accurately track movement throughout a room. The bundle also includes two actual motion tracking controllers and two games, Job Simulator and Fantastic Contraption. The Oculus Rift will release their motion tracking controllers later this year. The Vive also includes a front facing camera that will allow the user to "see" in front of them while still wearing the device. Some outlets have also mentioned that being able to make virtual phone calls is also a selling point for the Vive.
When it comes down to it, based purely on what is being offered as far as the included technology is concerned, the Vive is as good or even a better deal than the Rift. Once you factor in the lack of a front-facing camera and having to purchase the motion tracking solution separately, the prices will certainly be more comparable. And yes, I'm certainly eating my hat (not really) after saying that the price of the Oculus Rift was "high."
The third major player in this first surge of virtual reality devices, PlayStation VR, does not yet have a price.
(via UploadVR)
Update: HTC released their official announcement of the Vive, including some additional details and an "introduction" video for the device.
The countdown has begun and is ticking away toward 10 a.m. Eastern time on Monday 2/29 at which time pre-orders will open worldwide with pre-order fulfillment and full commercial availability starting early April 2016. Vive will be delivered as a complete kit allowing users to instantly jump into a fully immersive virtual environment using two wireless controllers, 360 degree tracking and room scale movement sensors.The integration of SteamVR into the bundle ensures that all Vive equipment is kept up-to-date with the latest features.
Taking Vive one step further, with refreshed branding and an updated head strap, the Vive consumer edition builds upon the innovative features that were introduced into the Vive Pre. The consumer edition of Vive also integrates phone functionality. Enabling you to stay connected to the real world, without exiting the virtual world, Vive Phone Services demonstrates the ability to combine both realities without losing touch of either. By allowing you to receive and respond to both incoming and missed calls, get text messages and send quick replies and check upcoming calendar invites directly through the headset, it opens up a whole new world of possibilities for both consumers and businesses.
The Vive will be priced at $799 and for a limited time the consumer edition will also ship with two fully-fledged VR experiences to get you started in the virtual world.
Job Simulator, by Owlchemy Labs: In a firmly tongue-in-cheek world where robots have replaced all human jobs, step into the ‘Job Simulator’ to learn what it was like ‘to job’.
Fantastic Contraption, by Northway Games in collaboration with Radial Games: Imagine walking around a grassy island floating in the sky, building a machine the size of a horse with your own hands, then watching it roll out into the world.
But it’s not just about gaming. In addition to these launch titles, HTC is working with developers to foster the creation of content that spans multiple sectors including entertainment, retail, education, design, healthcare and automotive that will ultimately transform people’s lives.
Taking Vive one step further, with refreshed branding and an updated head strap, the Vive consumer edition builds upon the innovative features that were introduced into the Vive Pre. The consumer edition of Vive also integrates phone functionality. Enabling you to stay connected to the real world, without exiting the virtual world, Vive Phone Services demonstrates the ability to combine both realities without losing touch of either. By allowing you to receive and respond to both incoming and missed calls, get text messages and send quick replies and check upcoming calendar invites directly through the headset, it opens up a whole new world of possibilities for both consumers and businesses.
The Vive will be priced at $799 and for a limited time the consumer edition will also ship with two fully-fledged VR experiences to get you started in the virtual world.
Job Simulator, by Owlchemy Labs: In a firmly tongue-in-cheek world where robots have replaced all human jobs, step into the ‘Job Simulator’ to learn what it was like ‘to job’.
Fantastic Contraption, by Northway Games in collaboration with Radial Games: Imagine walking around a grassy island floating in the sky, building a machine the size of a horse with your own hands, then watching it roll out into the world.
But it’s not just about gaming. In addition to these launch titles, HTC is working with developers to foster the creation of content that spans multiple sectors including entertainment, retail, education, design, healthcare and automotive that will ultimately transform people’s lives.
As for the USD price... Less than $1,000? Seriously?
... HOW?!
"Leaked"
+ shipping it will be around 945 (if its the same as the Oculus).
So Oculus 745€, HTC Vive 945€ in europe.