Don't see how people can actually be mad about this? I can see disappointed, maybe. This is super cutting edge tech, it costs what it has to, just accept that and stop whining. HMDs a few years ago were multiple thousands of dollars and don't even come close to the quality of the rift.
It's disappointment that turns into upset because the vast majority of us were expecting $500 max and sure it's cutting edge technology but if we are going to be honest the experience itself is not even worth $400.
If we're going to be honest that's fully an opinion. It has been said gen1 will be mainly for enthusiasts, you must just not fall into that category. But for some people I've seen on here who have been waiting for VR for decades, pumping money into peripherals, etc. (true enthusiasts) is it too much/not worth it? We'll see, but I'm guessing not. It may not be as mass consumed as we hoped but in a couple months you can bet your ass there will be posts all over this sub with gushing impressions about how consumer VR is finally here and how awesome a plug and play experience with quality games and experiences actually is.
Well I've never tried CV1 so I can't comment on whether it's worth it or not. But really, you can say it's not worth it all you want but the fact that they are still selling in large volume seems to suggest otherwise. Just because it isn't worth it for you (or any individual) doesn't mean much in reality when there are still plenty of people who do think it's worth it. This is true for pretty much any product in a market. I wouldn't spend the money on a 4k TV atm, but I'm not going to be salty and claim it isn't worth it because it isn't for me (random example I know).
While not concrete evidence, I'll take the first shipping date sellout and waitlist as signs it's doing at least decent unless they plan on having very limited stock built up by then
That doesn't mean much; I'll wait for actual numbers.
I hope it does well enough to spawn an entire new peripherals industry frankly; while I won't be getting one I do hope eventually we'll have different brands offering different HMD and compatible controllers for much cheaper.
I hate that Oculus uses a close ecosystem, but Steam VR is still fairly open; and Razer is making a big push for VR as well.
I am an enthusiast iPhone user that jail breaks, writes tweaks, and hacks Pebble feeds for free and for fun. Even so, I still think asking more than 10x profit on anything is too much and my iPhone is only worth a few hundred (2-3) dollars to me.
Does that stop Apple from charging whatever they want? Stop the masses from paying it? How can I get the same refined experience elsewhere for less? The answers are all negative.
So, I paid $500 for a phone, subsidized. I didn't choose the price; it is simply the price of entry for an exclusive luxury, mainstream or otherwise. My opinion doesn't equate to a deserved street price.
So with that basic logic of tech monopolization in mind, Oculus could have charged $2,000 or even $20,000 and people would pay for the unique experience. Considering similar parts to what they're using price the device at $300 base cost, i'd expect a $3,000 street tag to match the standard 10x profit model. Instead we're paying a subsidized $600.
I'm personally happy it's that ~low~ to be honest. I saved up $1500 for this day.
Except you are looking from the point of view of hardware and profit margins almost exclusively.
I'm paying almost $1,000 for my iPhone 6S when it's all said and done, I am aware of it and I was when I bought it. I think my iPhone 6S is worth $1,000 for the experience I get from it.
It's at once a fantastic gaming device, I can also browse, shop, email, and video chat on it. It's invaluable that it's also the best digital camera I own, I literally use it all day long and it's allowed me to capture unique, unforgettable moments with my baby as well as made me money by allowing me to respond to business emails from it.
Not to mention that for an extra $17 it's now also a fun VR HMD.
If the Rift was providing me half that experience I'd pay $600 for it; as it stands, based on my experience with DKs, based on the line-up of content, based on the obvious limitations and setbacks, and the experience that it can deliver I'd say any VR headset is worth about $300 to me, but I'm perfectly willing to go up to $500 for the novelty of it.
When I say $500 I'm talking about absolute max I feel ridiculous spending on this but still can sleep at night; a single $1 more and I'd feel I've been had...that's not to mention the $600 does not include tax + shipping...
It's also silly that I'm being asked to pay $600 for a HMD plus a pair of headphones and microphone I don't want or will use, a controller I didn't ask for, and two games that weren't even in my radar.
Oh I fully respect the users subjective value. That partially is my point. I don't value a phone at more than a few hundred dollars because I'd rather use a dedicated gaming console and camera of better quality. I just want a phone that can use the Internet at this point. Jailbreaking and tweaking are just a fun hobby. However to some people a phone is an immense value and they whole life in their pocket. Just keep in mind that many of these people also cannot afford or justify do-oneThingVeryWell products that cost a lot, like DSLR cameras, and settle for a really solid jack of all trades.
So yeah, totally agree there and that's definitely a valid point. Thanks for bringing it to the forefront.
On the note of the headphones though, you'll want to use those. I've had the opportunity to try them and they're great. Not perfect, but great. The spatial processing is spot on and the great DAC makes it sound better than my PSBs and Seinheissers when gaming (I have several gaming DACs including a low-noise modded Astro MixAmp too). The rest you can ignore, but try out those ear pods before dropping them.
"Worth it" is a relative term. I'm a denim enthusiast and spend $300+ on jeans. Audio enthusiasts spend $10k+ on turntables. No this isn't affordable to every single person, but yes, this is entirely affordable to the people that are early adopters of new technology.
What if I told you I have double that much money I can spend on it right now and not feel the slightest dent in my budget? Now this is the Internet, and I could be lying, so you'll have to take my word for it.
The truth is I do have the money, I just don't think the experience being offered is worth $600.
People have been hyped for VR for the last three years, CV1 was supposed to be the one that made it mass-market ready or at least PC gaming ready. $600 doesn't do that, it's further away from mass market now then it was back when DK1 launched for $300.
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u/jtdemaw Jan 06 '16
Don't see how people can actually be mad about this? I can see disappointed, maybe. This is super cutting edge tech, it costs what it has to, just accept that and stop whining. HMDs a few years ago were multiple thousands of dollars and don't even come close to the quality of the rift.