The HTC Vive is set to go to retail in May, but a number of UK stores are allowing customers to try out the virtual reality headset at demo booths before this date.
Starting last week, five UK retailers began holding hands-on demonstrations of the Vive, along with staging pre-orders of the new tech. Each of these “demonstration stations” will be fully open to the public.
Here are the addresses for each of the stores currently staging the demos:
Currys PC World Leeds (Birstall)
West Yorkshire Retail Park
Holdening Way Birstall
Leeds
WF17 9AE
Currys PC World Reading Gate
Unit 5, Reading Gate Retail Park
Reading
RG2 0QG
Currys PC World Tottenham Court Road
145 – 149 Tottenham Court Road
London
W1T 7NE
Overclockers UK
5 Lymedale Cross
Lower Milehouse Lane
Newcastle-under-Lyme
Staffs
ST5 9BT
Scan Computers International Ltd
25-28 Enterprise Park,
Middlebrook,
Horwich,
Bolton
Peter Frolund, HTC’s VP for VR in Europe, said of the demonstrations: “Through our partnerships with the UK’s leading consumer electronic retailers, we’re thrilled to offer the public additional avenues to experience and pre-order Vive at in-store locations nationwide. What truly brings Vive to life is trying it first hand, and we can’t wait to bring this opportunity to as many consumers as possible”.
The HTC Vive will be available to purchase in May 2016, with it being priced at £689. The headset has been developed as part of a collaboration between HTC and Valve, the video game company responsible for the creation of titles such as the Half-Life and Left 4 Dead series, along with the Steam digital distribution platform. The Vive’s operating system will be a customized version of this service.
