Maybe people underestimated the hype for Half-Life: Alyx, the upcoming Half-Life spin-off/prequel/sequel from Valve. When it was first announced, players were excited to go back into that world, but understandably disappointed that an Alyx off-shoot is what they’re getting as opposed to an actual Gordon Freeman-led sequel.
To add salt to the wound, the game is a VR exclusive, which means a lot of Half-Life fans won’t even get to play it. None of this upset or hesitation has any bearing on the expectations for the game itself. Valve’s track record is phenomenal, and there’s no reason to think that this new spin-off will be anything less than great, but after all this time waiting for another sequel to finish off the franchise, Half-Life: Alyx is a little out of left field.
All that being said, Valve clearly know what they’re doing, as evidenced by the fact that their very own Index VR headset has been wiped out almost across the globe in anticipation of the upcoming title. Japan is the one market where Index VR headsets and bundles are still available and that is in no way an exaggeration. They’re literally sold out in every other market in the world.
The Index VR headsets by themselves retail for $500, while the bundle that includes all the controllers and sensors retail for $1000. Considering that they’re selling out in the wake of Alyx’s announcement, the logical conclusion is that these gamers are shelling out $500 to $1000 primarily to play one game. That’s dedication.
Of course, you only need a PC-compatible VR headset to play Alyx, not necessarily Valve’s Index VR headset. The game can also be played with the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and Windows Mixed Reality headsets. The reason the Index headsets are selling hand over fist is that Valve designed the game to take advantage of the Index set, specifically the Index’s finger tracking, which will give players the best experience with Alyx’s Gravity Gloves. It was designed for the Index from the ground up.
Valve is currently working on replenishing their stock, which they hope happens before the game ships in March. If you’re waiting to buy an Index headset or bundle, most retailers offer the ability to sign up for email notifications for when the product comes back in stock.
Given the insane anticipation for Alyx, can you imagine what the response would be like if Valve announced an actual Half-Life 3? I’d be terrified to even step foot outside.
