Roto VR opened pre-orders for its motorized VR chair in May. The company had a detailed rendering showcasing what the chair would eventually be, but it didn’t have any images of a real chair. Despite the lack of a completed prototype, Roto VR started taking orders for the motorized chair and told customers that shipments would start in July.
Roto VR may have bit off a bit more than it could chew, but the company is still chomping. After several months of delays, Roto VR is finally ready to show off the real deal. The company released a trailer video that shows the chair in use by real people. Roto VR’s CEO, Elliot Myers, said that video shows a pre-production model of the Roto VR simulation chair, but the final version is coming soon. The company is preparing to ship units to its pre-order customers in the new year.
Roto VR is also preparing to show the chair at the at the VR & AR World Expo in London from October 19-20 and plans to “be on the road with Roto over the next few months.” The company didn’t reveal which events it plans to attend, though.
Along with the reveal of the pre-production model, Roto VR announced a new accessory option for the motorized chair. When Roto VR launched its pre-order sale, the company offered several accessories, such as the Double Rumble Simulator Pack that adds subwoofers to the backside and underside of the chair and the Roto VR Table that lets you use peripherals, such as HOTAS or racing wheels. The racing wheel idea sounds great, but if you think about it for a moment, you’ll realize that you can’t use a pedal set if you’re spinning around. Roto VR addresses that problem with the VR Racing Pack, which adds a platform for mounting pedals.
The base price for the Roto VR motorized simulation chair is $699.99, which gets you the chair with the motorized base. That setup works with mobile VR, but if you want to hook up your Vive, Rift, or PSVR without tangling yourself in cords, you’ll also need one of the advanced cable magazines. Each HMD requires a unique magazine, and Roto VR sells them for $129.99. If you want to use peripherals with the chair, you’ll also need the Roto VR Table, which Roto VR offers for $89.99.
Fortunately, Roto VR is offering a sizeable discount on pre-ordered equipment until November 5. The company knocked $200 off the base chair, the cable magazines are on sale for $99.99, and Roto reduced the price of the table accessory to $49.99. The Double Rumble Simulator Pack and the Roto Racing Rack are still full price, though. The rumble pack is $149.99, and the racing rack is $99.99.
