Vive doesn’t get permanent price drop, but it will offer an app subscription service. Sarah Tew/CNET
One year of home holodecks is almost on the books, and HTC is marking the date with a sale.
HTC Vive is the most expensive VR hardware on the market and hasn’t formally dropped in price since its launch a year ago — unlike the Oculus Rift. However, HTC is dropping Vive’s price by $100 to $699 on Wednesday only. The price drop mirrors the sale from last year’s Black Friday. Perhaps at some point, the Vive will stay at $699 permanently. Not yet.
The bigger news is that the Vive is launching a subscription software service via its HTC app hubViveport, offering a rotating selection of apps for $6.99 a month. Up to five apps can be kept at once via the service, but a limited supply of apps will be available to choose from. Vive owners get a one-month free trial to the service starting Wednesday.
HTC is also giving away a free game compilation, Arcade Saga, starting — yep — Wednesday. The game debuted last year on Steam and Viveport. Oculus has been giving away several games to Rift owners, most recently Robo Recall.
A subscription plan for VR software seems like a good call since most apps are better to try than buy. But keep in mind that Viveport isn’t the same hub as Steam, which isn’t offering a subscription service yet.
Source: CNET