The Taiwanese consumer electronics manufacturer HTC has announced that it has partnered with the renowned video game developer and publisher Bethesda Softworks. The purpose of this cooperation is developing virtual reality content for the HTC VR ecosystem and the companies revealed that they’re starting to do just that with Fallout 4. More specifically, the critically acclaimed open-world role-playing game will be coming to the HTC Vive headset in 2017. Its exact release date is still unknown, but more details on that front will likely be revealed by this fall.
It’s unclear whether this partnership also means that Bethesda will be developing some exclusive games for the HTC Vive, but even if it doesn’t, the popular game publisher definitely isn’t lacking in great games that it could port to HTC’s VR headset. Titles like Fallout 3, Fallout: New Vegas, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, and such could all potentially make it to Vive in the near future, and a lot of gamers all over the will certainly be super excited to experience the already incredibly immersive worlds of Bethesda’s RPGs through the prism of virtual reality. As for Fallout 4 specifically, it’s no wonder HTC and Bethesda decided to kickstart their VR partnership with this game as it’s as sure bet as one can make in today’s market. Released in November of last year, Fallout 4 has received numerous game of the year awards and has grossed $750 million in shipped sales in the first 24 hours of its release. HTC is now hoping it will sell similarly well on its virtual reality headset which industry experts are expecting will reach at least 400,000 sold units by the end of the year,
Other than the VR partnership with Bethesda Softworks, HTC has also revealed that the recently announced HTC One S9 mid-range smartphone will be hitting its exclusive Taiwanese shops this Friday, June 17th. The device will be unlocked and sold for NT$9,990, i.e. $309. As of July 1st, the One S9 will also be available for purchase from the five largest telecom companies in the country. Taiwanese sources predict that the launch of this device will significantly improve the company’s competitiveness in the mid-range smartphone market in its home country.