Earlier in the month HTC announced a new virtual event in which the company will reveal a brand new smartphone on 20th October 2015. Given that the HTC Vive virtual reality (VR) head-mounted display (HMD) is expected to have a consumer reveal this month, many hoped that this event would also host this announcement. Sadly Valve, the company helping with the HTC Vive by using its SteamVR system, has recently confirmed that no such announcements will be made during the upcoming show.
The company’s Chet Faliszek recently confirmed as much on Twitter. When it was suggested the event might host the reveal of the new tech, the developer replied: “That is a phone event, nothing to do with VR.” When pushed further, Faliszek made sure that he was being clear: “One more time – there is nothing Vive related happening on the 20th. It has nothing to do with VR.” That’s a pretty definitive and disappointing answer for those that were hoping to see something of the tech at the event.
So when might Valve show the new kit? “When we are showing new hardware, we will not be subtle or vague,” Faliszek concluded. “Right now it is about content.”
The HTC Vive is expected to launch in a limited fashion later this year before being followed up with a wider release in 2016. Valve’s SteamVR system provides Room Scale user-tracking in an area of up to 15-feet by 15-feet. This essentially allows users to make real world movements within this area and have them replicated within the given experience, allowing players to walk around within VR for the first time. The kit also includes 2 position-tracked controllers, bringing hand presence into VR.
VRFocus will continue to follow the HTC Vive closely, reporting back with the latest news on its progress.
-END-
The post Valve Confirms: No HTC Vive Announcement on 20th October appeared first on VRFocus.
