Those gamers hesitating over the$799 price tag of the HTC Vivewill now have some other options rather than a one-off payment for the virtual reality headset. HTC has revealed a new payment plan for North America, with users now able to pay a monthly cost instead of the $799 retail price. The news was released by the company during the Game Developers Conference, as reported byPC World.
Although the cost of theVivewill not be seeing a price reduction right now, this does mean that those with concerns overthe expense of virtual realityhave an easier route into the hardware. “For the first time, Vive is launching a financing program in North America,” stated HTC. “For $66 a month and no-interest financing for 12 months, users can purchase a Vive on Vive.com with zero down. Additional new financing options are available at varying finance terms.”
For those interested in learning more about the payment plans, HTC has released further information on theVive website. Here are the current options available for would-be Vive owners:
That’s not the only announcement that HTC has made so far in the conference, either. The Vive Tracker, which was revealed earlier this year alongsidea wireless upgrade, has now had its price revealed. The Tracker will come in at $99.99, and will allow the creation and use of custom peripherals, while the upcoming Vive Deluxe Audio Strap will also come in at that price.
This still means that owning a Vive may come in a little on the high side, particularly if owners feel the need to upgrade the hardware with peripherals as they go, but it certainly softens the financial blow. It’s a smart move from HTC, as it will allow greater access to the technology for potential users, and that can only be a good thing for virtual reality as a whole.
Indeed, the Vive could become a very handy headset to have for those happy to pay monthly costs. The Viveport app store will be receiving its ownNetflix-like subscription servicesoon, which will allow users access to a proportion of the headset’s library through the payment of a monthly fee. Hopefully, this will help improve the HTC Vive overall.
