This was a very interesting BUZZ that I found today and wanted to share with you.
The long awaited and anticipated ‘Half-Life: Alyx’Arrives next month but will there be headsets to play it on? Has the Coronavirus and poor planning or high sales doomed the arrival of what could be the blockbuster title “Half-Life: Alyx”?
Valve’s first flagship VR title, Half-Life: Alyx, is now set to launch on March 23rd but unfortunately the company’s Index VR headset is still just about impossible to buy direct. In the meantime, the shortage has seen secondary markets selling the headset at a 150% price premium.
Valve Index Stock Check
Following up on our global stock check back in January, our latest check of Valve Index stock today shows that things have gone from bad to slightly worse.
There’s 155 ‘region-SKUs’ between the 31 regions where sold and 5 Index SKUs. Of those 155 region-SKUs, only a single one is available (down from two at our last check). That would be the Headset-only package sold in Japan:
For the last month, Valve’s Index store pages have told customers “we’re busy catching up with demand for Valve Index!” and allowed users to sign up for an email notification when there’s new stock.
Where’s the Bottleneck?
While we might expect that Index stock would continue to slowly trickle out of Valve’s manufacturing operation, we haven’t heard any reports of customers being notified of new stock, making it seem like manufacturing may have even been halted entirely.
But why? One thought is that Valve may be revamping its manufacturing line (or even moving it to a larger facility) to support the greater-than-expected demand.
While Oculus said last week that the Coronavirus would make it even harder to buy its Quest headset due to the illness’ impact on its China-based manufacturing operation, Valve has not indicated any impact related to the outbreak. Our understanding is that Valve manufacturers Index in the US, however, it’s likely that some of its components are of Chinese origin.
Valve told us last month that it was “working hard to build more units and meet the high demand. We are targeting to be back in stock before Half-Life: Alyx ships.”
Today in a string of tweets about the game’s release date, the very last sentence of the very last tweet read, “we will have more information on upcoming Valve Index availability soon.”
Resale Value as an Indicator of Demand
With the official sales channel completely sold out, high demand means that secondary market sellers are able to increase prices to sell to those willing to pay more than the manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) in order to secure a scarce item. In competitive marketplaces like Ebay, seeing how much the headset is selling for gives us an idea of Index’s ‘true value’; an economist might say that the price buyers are paying on these secondary markets is a more accurate reflection of Index’s equilibrium price (the point where supply meets demand) than the MSRP under these particular conditions.
Index hardware is commanding somewhere in the neighborhood of a 150% price premium on secondary markets. On Ebay US, completed listings of the Index ‘Full Kit’ ($1,000 MSRP) have sold for an average of $1,500 in the last week, with some selling for as much as $1,935. Amazon has shown similar prices in recent weeks, but only shows offers and not completed transactions.
Originally posted on: https://www.roadtovr.com/valve-index-sold-out-stock-check-2-13-2020/
What is 360 VR Video?
360 video is a video that is recorded in all directions at the same time with multiple cameras. The videos are stitched together either internally in the camera or externally using special software.
It then forms one spherical video that is controlled by the viewer, enabling them to look up, down, right or left at their discretion.
Is 360 Video Virtual Reality?
I want you to be the judge.
Recommended MicroSD Card for use with the Fusion 360 camera
How are you watching your 360 VR Video?
Are you watching on your PC?
Is it Facebook? YouTube? Veer.TV ?
Or better still, are you using your Samsung Galaxy Smartphone with your Samsung Gear VR Headset?
Or are you using another smartphone with a Google Cardboard? Google Daydream?
Leave a comment below. Let us know what you like or don’t like. If you have seen a 360 VR video that you think is awesome, tell us, and we will feature it.
What type of VR Headset do you own? Or do you watch with your computer? Smartphone?
Do you have a VR camera? Ricoh Theta S? Ion360? Samsung 360 gear? Insta360?
And if you are looking for 360 Video Production Services, contact Al Caudullo [email protected]
With 37 years of Media experience, we can Deliver More for You in 360 Video. Click here to see what our customers say about our work
Utilizing state of the art technology, Al Caudullo, and his team has been delivering award-winning compelling productions spanning the globe. Exotic destinations blended with unique cultural experiences give viewers an experience like no other.
From vibrant American cities like San Francisco and Las Vegas to the isolated mountains of Mongolia. From ancient civilizations of Cambodia and Myanmar to the lush resorts of Southeast Asia and beyond. All from the comfort of your living room.
