Vive Cosmos becomes four! New faceplates add mixed reality and much more

Today HTC has finally detailed how it intends to expand the features of the Vive Cosmos in the upcoming months. The Taiwanese company had already showcased at the launch of the device that it was a very versatile one, thanks to a series of dedicated accessories (e.g. wireless adapter and eye tracking) and the possibility of having interchangeable faceplates, each with its own functionality. But until now, it wasn’t clear what these faceplates could be, if not for a teased SteamVR faceplate that could have made the Cosmos compatible with SteamVR tracking system (and so, for instance, with Valve Knuckles). Today, finally, we have all the answers we needed.

HTC has revealed a total of 4 faceplates for the Vive Cosmos, and together with them, lots of bundles of pre-sets headsets. This means that you’ll be able to buy the Cosmos in the flavor that you prefer, and then also customize it later, buying another faceplate as a separate accessory. This is quite unique in the present VR market. Let me detail this offering:

• Standard faceplate: it is the one supplied by default with the Cosmos. It features two additional tracking cameras (upper and lower one) to increase the tracking FOV of the controllers and the device. You will find it by default installed on the plain Cosmos, that costs $699/£699. The news is that from Q2, you can also buy this faceplate as a separate accessory for $199;

• Easy faceplate (not on official name, just invented by me): it features… nothing. It won’t be sold separately (who wants to buy a device that has no features? LOL), but it will come bundled with what will be known as “Cosmos Play”. Cosmos Play is a cheaper version of Cosmos that has only 4 tracking cameras (2 on the front, 2 on the sides), distributed so that to fulfill the requests of the market that wants cheaper VR headsets to play games. We’ll have further info on Cosmos Play in the upcoming times, but probably it will start shipping in “Early Q2” this year;

• External tracking plate: it is the faceplate that you can add to your Cosmos to make it trackable through SteamVR. This faceplate will be available in Q2 this year for $199. People deeply interested in SteamVR tracking can also buy a bundle called “Cosmos Elite”. Cosmos Elite features Cosmos + External tracking plate + 2 SteamVR base stations + 2 Vive controllers. It will be available later on Q1 this year for $899 (I guess in time for Half-Life: Alyx)

• Magic Plate (officially known as “Vive Cosmos XR”). It is a faceplate that gives mixed-reality superpowers to the Cosmos, adding two high-quality RGB cameras with up to 100° FOV that can offer you a high-quality mixed-reality as you have never seen that in other headsets (if not in Varjo). It is coming as a dev-kit in Q2 of this year. More details will be shared at GDC, so for now I can’t say you anything more. Mouth closed. Let me just say that as the developer of HitMotion: Reloaded, the mixed reality fitness game, I’m really excited about it… 😉

It is interesting that finally, HTC has shared more details about the different configurations of the Cosmos. The feature of the interchangeable faceplates was cool, but without any released accessories was not very useful. Now that we have a clearer picture of what are the potentialities of this device, I guess that developers can make a more informed purchase. Personally, I like the versatility it offers, letting everyone purchase the Cosmos that best fits his/her needs.

I also think that offering a Cosmos Play is a smart choice. The biggest critics on Cosmos have always been about price and tracking. With Cosmos Play, HTC is addressing the concern about price, making it lower and closer to the Rift S, while having higher specs. How much closer, it has to be seen, since the price hasn’t been announced yet. If it will be close enough (e.g. $549), enthusiasts caring about resolution may start preferring it to Facebook’s headset. We’ll see, in this case, the price will be the culprit in understanding the potential of this headset.

At this point, I think it is critical that HTC Vive addresses also the problems about controllers tracking, which is being suboptimal for games requiring two hands that hold a rifle together like for instance Pavlov or the same Half-Life: Alyx. If that gets solved, I guess that Cosmos may find its place in the XR ecosystem, targeting all those enthusiasts and professionals wanting high specs and versatility.

Also, it is interesting that HTC is trying to address different categories of VR users with the same line of products. In the intention of the company, the Cosmos now can target both the random gamer, that wants cheap and usable headsets, with the Cosmos Play, and the professional, that wants pro features and optimal tracking, with the Cosmos Elite. The problem may be in the communication, that has to be made without confusing the users.

Apart from all these faceplates, Vive has started to speak again about Vive Sync, its VR collaboration platform it teased months ago. I think that due to the coronavirus outbreak, that forced millions of Chinese people to stay at home working, HTC has increased its effort to deliver this remote collaboration solution, that seems now close to a first release.

Sync has been made especially as an enterprise collaboration tool, so it is not meant for people to hang out together and having fun (screaming “Do you know da wei”). It will let people from all over the world meet virtually in only one place, and discuss some work-related topics, having also the ability to import 3D models and images to talk about them. This can be useful for instance so that people meet together and discuss about the 3D design of a car that must be launched.

There will be a web portal through which the various members of a team may schedule a meeting, and invite other participants. Every meeting will happen in a “room”, that can be joined through an ID and password or scanning a QR code.

The cool feature teased is that Sync should also be compatible with the Magic Plate. As HTC says: “Vive Sync, the company’s collaboration tool, will integrate Vive Cosmos XR functionality so that virtual objects can be brought into real-world environments, bolstering collaboration options for VR-based meetings.” Meetings in XR sound very interesting, and I can’t wait to test them.

Sync is coming in preview on February, 28^th.

In the end, I also want to underline the good thing that Vive is doing for China in this difficult period: Vive Sync will be free for Chinese users, to help Chinese companies in having meetings even if most people are forced to stay at home working, and also Viveport (the game store) will be free, to let people having fun even if they are quarantined at home. Chapeau, Vive, for this kind choice.

And that’s it! What’s your opinion on these new accessories by HTC? Are you interested in them? Let me know here in the comments or on my social media channels!

(Header image by HTC Vive)