Valve has warned consumers that Index availability could be sparse thanks to the ongoing coronavirus epidemic in China.

A little over a month before the release of Half-Life: Alyx, Valve has now apparently become the latest video game company that has felt the effects of the coronavirus.

In a report from UploadVR, Valve stated that the ongoing sickness that has taken root in China will lead to shortages of the Valve Index, the company’s virtual reality headset. While Valve said that the Index headset will still be readily available to purchase prior to the release of Half-Life Alyx next month, which is essentially the hardware’s killer app, the overall number of units that will be available to buy in the coming months will be much smaller. “Our entire team is working hard right now to maximize availability,” Valve explained. It also encouraged fans who may be interested in buying an Index to sign-up for notifications on Steam to learn when the headset will be back in stock.

Here’s the full statement that Valve released regarding the situation:

With Half-Life: Alyx coming March 23rd, we are working hard to meet demand for the Valve Index and want to reassure everyone that Index systems will be available for purchase prior to the game’s launch. However, the global Coronavirus health crisis has impacted our production schedules so we will have far fewer units for sale during the coming months compared to the volumes we originally planned. Our entire team is working hard right now to maximize availability. To receive a notification as soon as the Valve Index is back in stock, please visit Steam and click “Notify Me.”

Like many other hardware manufacturers around the world, Valve produces a lot of Index units in China, which is why shortages will now be transpiring. Other companies that have felt the effect of the coronavirus so far have included Nintendo, who also recently stated that Switch availability could become sparse in multiple regions around the world in the coming months. As of now, it’s not known if the virus’s effects on the region will take a toll on Microsoft and Sony’s plans to release the Xbox Series X and PS5 later this year.

Fortunately, even if you can’t get your hands on a Valve Index headset before the launch of Half-Life: Alyx, the game isn’t exclusive to Valve’s hardware by any means. Other than the Index, the game will also be able to be played with HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, and Windows Mixed Reality devices. Assuming you have one of these VR headsets, you’ll be all good to go come launch.

Half-Life: Alyx will arrive next month on March 23, exclusively for PC via Steam.



Posted: Feb 23, 2020 8:00 pm
Related Forum: PC Gaming Forum

Source: https://www.dualshockers.com/valve-index-coronavirus-half-life-alyx/