It’s a big day for enthusiasts of VR motion peripherals. Just an hour after Roto VR revealed its new $799 spinning game chair, Virtuix has finally set a date for the launch of its Omni One VR treadmill: September 10. This announcement comes as a relief for many, as the treadmill, priced at $2,595 plus shipping, has been in development for over ten years now.
Reflecting on our earlier coverage, we had titled our last article, “A decade later, this VR treadmill is finally ready to ship,” back on April 3 of last year. Technology often seems to evolve at lightning speed, but at times, especially in the case of hardware startups, progress can feel sluggish.
Over these years, Virtuix has certainly captured a fair amount of attention. Movement in VR is still a challenging issue to tackle. The current methods of simulating movement while standing or sitting still are far from perfect and can often lead to unpleasant experiences, such as motion sickness.
Coinciding with Virtuix’s journey, there’s been a surge of interest in mixed reality, driven by major players like Oculus/Meta, HTC, and recently Apple. So far, the company has managed to secure a whopping $40 million, thanks to both venture capitalists and individual backers. Additionally, Omni One gained significant recognition by inspiring a similar concept in Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of “Ready Player One.”
What makes the Omni One stand out is its simplicity. It doesn’t rely on a mechanical treadmill; instead, users wear specialized footwear, allowing them to ‘walk’ by sliding their feet on a concave track.
“With the official launch date set for September 10, we’re eager to welcome gamers into the Omni One community,” CEO Jan Goetgeluk shared in a press release. “The overwhelmingly positive reactions from our beta users have fueled our excitement, and we can’t wait to launch Omni One and transform the gaming experience for players of all ages.”
During its preorder phase, Virtuix reports selling 3,000 units of the Omni One.
