14 DAY TRIAL // One of the biggest claims to fame of the new Vive virtual reality solution from Valve and HTC is that launch is supposed to take place this year, ahead of all the other competing solutions, but it seems that the two companies might not be able to get the device into actual retail stores.
NeoGAF quotes an executive as saying that the consumer version, which does not have an official release date and has not been priced, will be offered initially through the official site of the manufacturer.
It's unclear whether HTC will offer an unlimited number of Vive devices using this method or the company is facing manufacturing limitations and has to actually offer only a small number of VR headsets.
The company adds that retail delivery will have to wait until the first quarter of 2016, probably.
They state, "Everybody is excited about this: They see the potential for the market, the potential to sell the things around it. Retail will absolutely be a part of our strategy, but that would be closer to a first-quarter strategy."
The specifications of Vive and more details about the content that will be offered for it will be shared at some point in October, but it seems that the price might only be revealed very close to launch.
Virtual reality has a lot of potential for the gaming industry
The Vive will be the first VR device that will be delivered in the hands of consumers who are not interested in the development side of the technology.
One of the most important things for the success of virtual reality will be the number of video games and associated experiences that are available soon after launch.
Valve has the potential to create content for the Vive, but so far limited demos for the coming titles have been offered.
The Oculus Rift is set to deliver its own consumer version, which will include an Xbox One controller and streaming capabilities, in the first few months of next year.
Sony is also working on its own Project Morpheus, which will only work on the PlayStation 4, but the company has not talked about an official launch date or about the price.
Apparently, HTC believes that there's space on the market for different solutions and that it will take about three years for VR tech to become mainstream.