HTC Announces Full Details on Vive Cosmos VR Headset

Big news from HTC this morning. The company has officially taken the veil off their upcoming VR headset and entered the pre-order phase. It’s a wholesale improvement over the original HTC Vive, offering improved resolution with less screen door effect, inside-out tracking,  and a modular design. Pre-orders will also receive a one-year subscription to HTC’s Viveport free-game service, providing a huge amount of content right out of the gate.

Here’s what HTC had to share in their release:

Technical Features

Vive Cosmos was built to adapt to the needs of VR customers with ease, versatility, and performance at the forefront. The all-new Vive tracking system offers a simplified setup that makes getting into VR faster and easier than ever before, with six camera sensors for wide and accurate inside-out tracking. Cosmos features a 2880 x 1700 combined pixel resolution—an 88% increase over the original Vive—delivering crystal-clear text and graphics. All-new LCD panels reduce the distance between pixels and combined with real RGB displays minimize screen-door effect.

A unique flip-up design allows users to jump between reality and virtual reality in seconds—all without disrupting VR journeys. Superior ergonomics and comfort allow for longer VR experiences and integrated on-ear headphones provide fully immersive sound. Cosmos also features completely redesigned controllers that maximize functionality within VR and offer extended comfort during long play sessions. Cosmos is also compatible with the Vive Wireless Adapter for those who want to enjoy moving in VR without being tethered.

First ‘Mod’ Announced

With a modular faceplate design, Vive Cosmos is the most versatile premium VR headset yet, designed with upcoming accessories to change the functionality of the headset and offer customers the ability for their headset to grow with them over time. The first official “mod”, announced today, is the Vive Cosmos External Tracking Mod for customers that want to continue to use their existing Lighthouse base stations for tracking scenarios, but also take advantage of the superior performance of Vive Cosmos. This first base station-compatible mod supports Vive’s ecosystem of peripherals including the Vive Tracker, delivering unprecedented input freedom for VR controls. This new mod will be available in Q1 of next year.

Included Content

 Vive Cosmos is the VR headset that packs a powerful content punch right out of the gate with an included 12-month Viveport Infinity subscription during the pre-order period, saving you thousands of dollars[i]. Every customer who pre-orders their Cosmos by October 2 will receive a 12-month Viveport Infinity redeem code in their box. Viveport Infinity gives unlimited access to hundreds of top-rated VR apps, games, and videos like A Fisherman’s Tale, Fujii, and Ninja Legends, as well as premium videos from top brands like GoPro, Discovery Channel, and Animal Planet. In tandem with the Vive Cosmos launch, Viveport Infinity will be adding new titles such as Doctor Who: The Edge of Time by Maze Theory, Playstack, and BBC; Eleven Eleven by Syfy; Battlewake by Survios; Gloomy Eyes by Atlas V and 3dar; and Swords of Gargantua by Yomuneco and gumi; and MLB Home Run Derby VR by MLB.

Vive Reality System

Cosmos offers an out-of-box experience that is easy to set-up and launch into virtual worlds using the new Vive Reality System. Vive Cosmos is the first headset to offer the Vive Reality System, a reimagined core software experience for Vive. The Vive Reality System is an entirely new design philosophy for VR, offering an extension of life to make VR feel less like launching apps and more like stepping between worlds. Cosmos will feature a redesigned user interface called Lens to easily navigate XR and Viveport Infinity applications, and a new, dynamic home space called Origin. The Origin space is the launchpad for VR applications and interactive experiences that will grow over time.

Digital Trends has already been able to go hands-on with the device and applauded its flip-up screen and inside-out design as “flippin’ genius.” The Vive Cosmos will go release on October 3rd for $699.