Some things in life are simply impossible to believe, comprehend or be sold on without first-hand experience. I've been told that desktop-grade virtual reality falls into this category. Convincing someone to pay a minimum of $600 for something that seems gimmicky at best is a tough sell.
HTC wants to make you a believer and it aims to do so by deploying Vive demo stations across the country.
Microsoft Stores in New York City, Bellevue and Salt Lake City already have demos set up with plans to expand to a dozen more stores later this month. GameStop, meanwhile, will host HTC Vive demo locations at the following 10 stores across the US starting April 16:
- Plano, TX: Preston Road,
- New York, NY: Broadway at 85th
- Latham, NY: Latham Farms
- Bellvue, WA: Bellevue Square
- Hillsboro, OR: Tanasbourne Town Center
- Chicago, IL: The Brickyard Shopping Center
- Orlando, FL: Hunters Creek
- Brandon, FL: Lake Brandon Shoppes
- West Hollywood, CA: West Hollywood Gateway
- Gulfport, MS: Gulfport Plaza
According to Fortune, HTC has partnered with Dell and will use Alienware 51 PCs to drive the experience at each store. Dan O'Brien, a vice president at HTC, said they've created a 10-minute demo featuring four experiences: theBlue, Space Pirate Trainer, Job Simulator and Tilt Brush.
The executive said they wanted to give people a variety of experiences but also needed to plan for lots of people wanting to try the demo.