Already this summer Oculus has dropped their Rift headset price down to $500. HTC is the clear leader in the VR space. Unfortunately, sitting at $800, the Vive was in jeopardy of causing some to go for a more wallet friendly option. HTC has responded by dropping the Vive down from $800 to $600, which lines up nicely with the Oculus’s price.
Although a considerable purchase, the reduced price keeps the company competitive as it prepares to enter their second holiday cycle. With any new technology the hard part is getting it into consumer hands. Capturing the wide consumer market has always been a key in creating longevity in the current VR landscape. The holidays serve as the best way to get general consumers to buy into new technology that often carries a higher price tag.
HTC has reported to The Verge, that the Vive will be on the market well into 2018. Although in time a new model will come out, this is a welcome sign for those looking to join the VR landscape now. Outdated hardware is the biggest fear when making a jump into a new space; consumers want to stay current and ahead of the curve.
Vive has, so far, done a solid job at bringing in new software to use with the device. While the majority of the high profile uses for the headset have been in business and creative applications, HTC is hoping to break out to the gaming world fully with big AAA game content coming soon. Both Fallout 4 VR and Doom VFR have already been announced and figure to be major exclusive releases for the system.
HTC has done a good job at growing the Vive ecosystem. Partnerships with Google, Apple, Intel, UPS, and many other brands have helped get the system wide acceptance with businesses. Along with both software and hardware updates, HTC has also worked with partners on additional wireless devices to bring more flexibility to the Vive.
The HTC Vive package comes with the VR headset, two motion controllers, and two-wall mounted sensors. All Vive purchases also come with a free trial to Viveport Subscription. The fast growing service, allows you to choose up to five titles a month to experience. The discounted Vive can be purchased on HTC’s website right now!
