Valve and HTC's VR Headset Preorders Begin in February

HTC has announced preorders for its upcoming Vive VR headset, which is developed in collaboration with Half-Life 2, Portal, and Dota 2 studio Valve, will open on February 29.

The date was initially reported by The Telegraph and has since been confirmed to The Verge by a HTC spokesperson.

On January 5, HTC revealed the second-gen dev kit for the device. Called the Vive Pre, the redesigned headset features a front-facing camera that also functions as a peephole, allowing users to see what's ahead of them.

The Vive's controllers have also been tweaked with "updated ergonomics and softer edges, greater balance." Textured buttons and grip pads have also been introduced, along with a rechargeable lithium polymer battery.

As of yet, the Vive Pre is only available to developers. HTC has not said whether the Vive consumer model will incorporate the changes to the headset and controllers.

A price or exact release date for the HTC Vive has not yet been specified.

The HTC Vive consumer model was originally intended for a 2015 release, but the VR headset was recently delayed until April 2016. At the end of December, HTC said part of the reason why it delayed the device was because the company made a "very big technological breakthrough." It seems the peep hole added in the Vive Pre is that breakthrough.

On January 6, Oculus opened preorders for its Rift VR headset, revealing it would cost $600 and start shipping on March 28.