The HTC Vive was started selling just a few months ago, and it seems HTC already has plans for a successor, the HTC Vive 2. The original Vive debuted in April for $799, and despite strong preorder number, the VR headset didn’t really make huge sale numbers. Just last month, one HTC executive stated that the headset sales “far exceeds” 140 thousand units.
This was certainly one of the reasons why Taiwanese company is thinking about making a new and improved version of the HTC Vive. As TechCrunch reports, Richard Steiber, HTC’s VR division spokesperson stated that the new Vive VR headsets are on the way, featuring new and improved design.
Aside from trying to bring a better product for mass-market consumers, HTC is bringing a new Vive also because of the arcade market in China and Taiwan, which requires a VR headset supporting more diverse, arcade-style, peripherals like weapons and steering wheels. And although the HTC Vive 2 will eventually be offered on the mass market, the improved VR headset will first launch at various arcade locations, in China and Taiwan.
Aside from hinting about HTC Vive 2 sporting performance upgrades and updates to its form factor, Steiber was vague regarding specific updates the upcoming VR headset might include. All he said about the successor to the Vive was “It’s going to evolve.”
Steiber hinted that we might see annual releases of the new VR headset versions. He said that “This is year one as far as this set of virtual reality experiences go,” and that “I think with the amount of innovation going on in the space and the amount of players coming into space, I do think that innovation cycles will be sort of annual.” If they plan on delivering new models every year, VR manufacturers have to make some radical price cuts, or the VR market will quickly fall on the bottom of the gaming market sea.