For those unfamiliar with Virtuix, it’s a company that primarily sells gaming accessories, with its main product being an omni-directional treadmill fittingly called the “Omni.” Until now, the Omni has really only been available for gaming locations like Dave and Busters, but it’s looking like the company hopes to change that soon.

According to XRsource.net, Virtuix has opened pre-orders for a home version of the Omni, the “Omni One,” and they’re opening at the staggering price of $2,600. This includes a Pico Neo 3 VR device with controllers, low-friction over shoe, and all the other little extras needed to actually use the thing. Further, those interested don’t have to pay the entire cost up front. They just need to put $200 down as a deposit and can then opt for a monthly payment plan of $70 should they desire. Indeed, it seems Virtuix wants the Omni One system to be ass accessible as possible.

All that said though, I can’t help but wonder if this would really be worth it for anyone besides absolute VR diehards. VR has faced all manner of problems from day one, most notably being motion sickness in the early days. While that particular problem has largely been solved there’s still other inherent issues. First, I’d argue that these games are less immersive than traditional experiences, not more. Sure, you’re doing the movements yourself, but you’re still using a control interface to accomplish many actions, making those controllers all the more noticeable.

You’re also more keenly aware of missing tactile feedback like rushing air and such when you’re supposed to be moving at speed. I’d also argue that you can’t do cool movements like you can in traditional games becuase there’s no way to mime the movement, not to mention a greater risk of motion sickness. All this is to say that VR experiences are generally inferior due ironically to an even greater need for realism. These aren’t the main problems though.

The real issue is cost. VR headset by themselves are already an expensive luxury in a hobby that’s already considered an expensive luxury. I don’t know about you all, but I don’ know anyone who’s willing to go on a payment plan to play VR, much less for a bulky peripheral that’ll just let them walk around. (Not to mention that VR always makes the player look ridiculous, and this treadmill even more so.) So yeah due to cost alone, I think this iteration of VR will always be relegated to an interesting luxury and nothing more. Maybe once they can put your mind in the game Matrix-style things will be different, but who knows when that kind of technology will come about.

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What do you think though? If VR stuff was cheaper, would you get into it? Does it have other inherent problems that I’m missine here? What do you think about the future of VR?

Image from Virtuix.com