Virtuix’s VR Treadmill Set for September Launch

There’s something exciting happening in the realm of VR motion technology today. Just an hour after Roto VR unveiled its $799 spinning gaming chair, Virtuix has announced a launch date for its long-awaited Omni One VR treadmill. Mark your calendars for September 10! And yes, it’s been quite the wait for this $2,595 (plus shipping) system that’s been in development for over a decade.

Thinking back, the last time we touched upon this project, it was under the headline, “A decade later, this VR treadmill is finally ready to ship.” That was more than a year ago, on April 3. It’s fascinating, isn’t it? On one hand, technological advancements seem to be happening at lightning speed, but on the other, the journey for hardware startups can seem painfully slow.

Over the last ten years, Virtuix has certainly gathered a fair amount of curiosity and interest. Virtual reality locomotion still presents one of the biggest challenges in the industry. Making your brain believe you’re moving while you’re just sitting or standing can often lead to discomfort, or worse, motion sickness.

Virtuix’s timeline has unfolded alongside a growing interest in mixed reality, fueled by major players like Oculus/Meta, HTC, and more recently, Apple. To date, the startup has successfully attracted $40 million, a mix of venture capital and personal investments. Their Omni One even got a cool spotlight by being the inspiration for a similar system in Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of “Ready Player One.”

The Omni One’s brilliance lies in its simplicity. Rather than using a typical mechanical treadmill, it operates passively. Users lace up in special shoes and move by gently slipping in place on its concave platform.

“With our launch date set for September 10, we’re thrilled to embrace gamers into the Omni One community,” CEO Jan Goetgeluk shares enthusiastically. He continues, “The incredible feedback from our beta users has been truly motivating, and we’re eager to roll out Omni One and elevate the gaming experience for everyone.”

Virtuix reports that they’ve already sold 3,000 units during the pre-order phase. It seems the anticipation is very real!