Gamers looking for a more immersive virtual reality experience in their home can finally have it with Virtuix’s Omni One. Virtuix has been developing the treadmill-like gaming machine for years, and after crowdfunding campaigns, the Omni One has recently started making its way to backers. Now, Virtuix is kicking off another round of financing and has announced that it will invest in the Omni One to go on sale to the general public later this year.
You may remember Omni, which launched on Kickstarter in 2013 and was backed up within 24 hours. Modeled after the Omni Pro, the Omni One is a larger but similar version available in entertainment venues around the world. The circular—or multidirectional—treadmill is four feet wide by five feet long, and weighs about 250 pounds. The safety piece comes through a vertical bar that holds the shoulder and waist belts, with a console on either side of it. It allows users to run, walk, kneel, and even jump through a video game. The Omni One can also be folded away when not in use.
The Omni One will retail at a starting price of $2,595 plus shipping for the treadmill and Pico Neo 3 VR headset – customized specifically for the Omni One. Pricing is slightly higher than the Virtuix’s initial drop of $1,995. Investors get a 30% discount off the listed price.
It should be noted that while the company says compatibility with other VR games may drop further, Virtuix plans to offer first-party games via its own store. There will be 30 titles available at launch, but the company shared in a Facebook post that it has a “shortlist” of around 200 titles.
While the Omni One should be available to customers later this year, it is unclear how many models will be produced. According to Virtuix, 900 “investors” have applied to buy beta units and there are currently 35,000 public subscribers on the waiting list.
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