HTC has confirmed that its virtual reality headset, Vive, will be available for preorder starting on Feb. 29.
The exact release date and retail price for Vive is not yet known at this time, but the headset is predicted to be shipped sometime in April.
HTC's chief executive, Cher Wang, confirmed the February preorder date to the Telegraph, as the company will attempt to compete against other VR headsets, like Oculus Rift and Sony's Playstation VR, which retails for $500 and $1,125 (according to a leaked price on Amazon), respectively.
HTC's Vive is expected to retail for more than Oculus Rift. Both Rift and Vive require powerful computers and graphic cards — which can be credited for their premium prices — to enable the virtual reality capabilities.
Vive has been developed in a partnership with the game maker Valve, although the types of games that will be offered for the device are still not known. However, HTC is expected to showcase some of the titles for Vive later this month.
At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last week, HTC revealed its second generation developer kit, called the Vive Pre, which has revamped the headset to include a front-facing camera that allows the user to see their physical surroundings — so that they don't need to remove the headset while doing other tasks or interacting with others. The redesigned headset also features a smaller cage and more stable and comfortable head strap that can be easily adjusted.
Oculus Rift will start shipping on March 28, which would make Vive the second VR headset released for consumers if it holds true to its April release date.
Source: The Telegraph
