You’re going to have a difficult time doing the running man in VR if you live outside of the United States.
Virtuix is canceling Omni preorders for customers who live outside of the U.S., according to a note it sent to backers of its Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign. The Omni is a large treadmill that enables VR players to walk or run while standing in place. In its letter, Virtuix explained that it simply does not have the logistical infrastructure to deal with the various regulatory issues and to store replacement parts to deal with customer service on a global scale. In 2013, the Omni project raised $1.1 million on Kickstarter from more than 3,200 backers. The company plans to automatically refund anyone outside of the United States.
“In the last few months, we have explored cost effective options to get the Omni distributed and serviced worldwide, which has become increasingly difficult and expensive given the Omni’s transformation to a high-end entertainment device,” reads the Virtuix notice. “After much internal debate and soul-searching, we have concluded that as a small U.S. based startup, we unfortunately do not have the resources to deliver and service units in every country.”
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Virtuix does plan to distribute the Omni for commercial markets around the world. This means the tech could show up in arcades or theme parks in Europe or Asia, but you’ll have no way to buy an Omni directly from Virtuix for your home if you live outside of the U.S.
“We will continue our efforts to expand our distribution markets, and we hope one day to be able to deliver an Omni to you,” reads Virtuix’s explanation. “However, we do not deem it appropriate to hold on to your funds until that time. Along with our refund, please accept our sincere apologies.”
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