The HTC Vive press conference at CES 2019 has certainly been memorable thanks to the unveiling of the Vive Pro Eye and the Vive Cosmos headsets. As part of the latter’s announcement, HTC Vive has revealed the Vive Reality System, designed as a new portal for users to enter virtual reality (VR) worlds.
Designed by HTC’s Creative Labs, the Vive Reality System encompasses the total user experience from the moment a headset is put on to how content is interacted with.
Explaining more about the system, Drew Bamford, VP, Creative Labs, HTC Vive said in a statement: “Our philosophy has always been focused on developing great products and experiences that create a natural and effortless bridge from the real world to the virtual world and with Vive Reality System we set out to reimagine Vive’s core software experience to meet these needs. The tools and environments that make up Vive Reality System aim to make spatial computing accessible to everyone, wherever their journey into immersive worlds takes them. We want VR to feel less like launching apps and instead like stepping between worlds.”
The system is still in development, with HTC Vive saying that it ‘includes both operational and experiential elements’ designed to impact its entire portfolio. From the looks of these first images, the Vive Reality System has similarities with both Oculus Home and SteamVR Home, both of which are aiming for a realistic and welcoming home environment.
Eventually, the Vive Reality System will power all of HTC Vive’s hardware products, with the first being Vive Cosmos which is slated for launch by the end of 2019. Vive Cosmos is a consumer-focused device that’ll be PC powered whilst providing inside-out tracking for ease of use and setup, hopefully enticing more consumers into VR.
There’s still lots VRFocus doesn’t know about the Vive Reality System. As more details surface in the coming months, we’ll keep you updated on the latest announcements.