Skip to main content

HTC Vive arcades to offer consumers in the U.S., China, and Europe a taste of VR

htc viveport arcade 24867790474 e4533e74ff k
Kārlis Dambrāns/Flickr
One of the biggest challenges facing VR is getting the public a hands-on demonstration, and it looks like HTC will be addressing that problem directly.

At the 2016 VR Developers Conference in San Francisco, California, HTC has announced that its Viveport Arcades will be coming to the US, China, and Europe, giving the general public a chance to experience VR.

Related Videos

HTC will be licensing software to movie theaters, cafes, and full VR arcades. This will allow retailers to set up their own public VR spaces and use games like The Brookhaven Experiment and Everest VR to entertain customers. It will all be done through the Viveport app, meaning setup should be easy for proprietors. HTC has also fully committed to the VR arcade idea by opening Viveland in Taiwan last week.

Developers are also welcome to jump in on the arcade action by listing their games on the Viveport app store. Profits from the Viveport app will be split between HTC and developers. Currently, 120 experiences are available, but pricing is not yet final. Costs range from $5 for a small experience to $13 for a full-room experience where players can walk around in VR within a private booth.

HTC plans on turning VR into a $100 million industry over the next two years. The only way to do that is to get VR headsets into the hands of consumers. But that will be difficult considering the high price tag, and the fact that most have never had the opportunity to try any VR headset outside of a cardboard solution with a smartphone. The Vive currently sells for $800 and requires a pretty hefty gaming PC.

Even if HTC is able to get consumers interested in VR via arcades, it’s still uncertain if people outside the hardcore audience will be willing to drop over $1,000 for a true at-home VR rig.

Editors' Recommendations

Is PlayStation VR2 worth $550? There’s a good case for and against it
Playstation VR2 headset on a PlayStation-themed wallpaper.

Across the board, VR headsets are going up in price. Just look at Meta's Quest Pro, which costs a whopping $1,500. That trend seems to be continuing with the PlayStation VR2, which we now know we retail at $550 ($50 more than the PS5 it hooks up to). These lavish prices signal that the entry-level days of VR are coming to an end, and that companies may be comfortable courting hardcore fans of the tech who want more powerful and impressive hardware.
Feel a New Real | PS VR2
But will this high pricing pay off for companies like Sony? Look at the comments on the PlayStation Blog post or tweet about the PlayStation VR2's release date, and you'll see how divided the opinions are already. For someone looking to get into VR for the first time with PlayStation's new headset, that big price tag may be off-putting, creating doubt that we'll see VR break into the mainstream in the way manufacturers had hoped.
While some of the current VR price changes may seem like a tough sell, these decisions are more practical than you might think. As soon as you start digging into the nuances of the tech, it becomes clear why prices are going up and why it might pay off for companies like Sony. That said, there's a good case both for and against PS VR2's $550 price tag. Which one is right in the long run might be more about Sony's ability to follow through than initial reactions from fans.
The case for PlayStation VR2's $550 price
To get some context on the current state of VR, I spoke with George Jijiashvili, principal analyst at Omdia. Jijiashvili was surprised by the price point, as Omdia expected PlayStation VR2 to be priced less than the PS5. Still, he explained the factors that likely led to this PlayStation VR2 pricing decision. To start, expensive VR headsets like the $999 Valve Index "underlined the demand for high-end VR headsets on PC, so Sony must have been encouraged to pursue higher-than-expected PlayStation VR2 pricing," Jijiashvili says.
Selling a PSVR with its controllers at a higher price than the PlayStation console is not without precedent.

He also pointed out that the original model of the first PlayStation VR was $399, the same price as a PS4 Slim, when it launched in 2016. That said, it didn't come with a PlayStation Camera or PlayStation Move controllers, which were required to play specific games. Bundles featuring those items that came after the fact would cost players more than a PS4. While the PlayStation VR2 doesn't need a camera, the base $550 version does come with its new proprietary Sense controllers. Jijiashvili believes the cost of the technology included justifies its price tag.
"On reflection, selling a PSVR with its controllers at a higher price than the PlayStation console is not without precedent," Jijiashvili explained. "Sony must not have encountered significant pushback on this six years ago, so they've opted for a similar pricing strategy now with PlayStation VR2 … PlayStation VR2 also offers significantly improved hardware specs over PlayStation VR, which come at increased component and manufacturing costs."

Read more
You can try Google Play Games on PC today as beta expands to the U.S.
Google Play Games on PC beta

Google has launched the open beta for Google Play Games for PC in the U.S. The tech giant made the announcement in a blog post on Wednesday, saying that the beta is available for download in seven other countries as well, including Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, and Singapore.

"We’re thrilled to expand our platform to more markets for players to enjoy their favorite games on Google Play," said Google Play Games director Arjun Dayal. "As we move towards a full release, we will continue to add new features and evaluate developer and player feedback."

Read more
Microsoft is looking to create its own mobile app store, according to filings
Xbox Series UI

Microsoft may have plans to build out its own Xbox storefront on mobile platforms, according to its recent filings.

Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard is currently under investigation by the UK's Competition and Market Authority (CMA). First spotted by The Verge, in Microsoft's filings, the company says that it wants to expand its gaming offerings on mobile, and that includes building a mobile storefront.

Read more