HTC launches monthly VR subscription
HTC has created the Blockbuster Video of virtual reality games.
Can this new service bring the aging mobile company to the forefront of the VR industry?
The reality of virtual reality
Although the concept is groundbreaking and exciting, the VR industry is still quite young, and most apps and devices have yet to mature into worthwhile experiences, especially for what they cost.
VR is a notoriously expensive hobby.
Those who are just getting into it may be unsure which games to buy, and hesitant to purchase several if there’s a chance they’re just throwing hundreds of dollars down the drain.
What’s awesome and what’s crappy?
To solve this dilemma, HTC is launching the Viveport Subscription, a program that lets Vive VR headset owners rent five VR apps each month for just $6.99.
They can choose from 50 different apps and either hold on to them or swap them out for new ones every four weeks.
This way, users can both discover their favorites and learn the ropes of the platform.
Happy birthday to Vive, happy birthday to everyone
This new service will become available on April 5th.The launch marks Vive’s first anniversary, and to celebrate they’re offering everyone a one-month free trial along with a copy of their newly released Arcade Saga.
This three-game package is valued at $19.99 on Valve’s Steam store- Valve created the operating system the Vive headset uses.
What if you don’t have a Vive yet? The company is slashing the standard retail price by $100, bringing it more in range with competitors like the Oculus Rift and Sony PlayStation VR.
Choose your own adventure
The Steam store boasts roughly 1600 titles for the HTC Vive available to download. Although the Vive subscription service will launch with only 50 titles, users will still have an eclectic selection of apps to choose from: they can scale a mountain with Everest VR, defuse bombs with Fantastic Contraption, explore oceans with TheBlu, and more. After a free month virtual thrill rides you’ll be hooked, and painfully curious about what the other apps have to offer. This is exactly the idea.
[clickToTweet tweet=”HTC Prez. Steiber, wants to reach a quarter million sign-ups for the VR subscription service.” quote=”Rikard Steiber, president of Viveport, states the company hopes to reach a quarter million sign-ups for the service.”]
While this sounds like a lofty goal considering the Vive headset sales are estimated at just over 140,000 units , in today’s ever-evolving, hyper-selective consumer society, maybe letting users change up their realities every few weeks is the key to success.
