Approved developers will get a Developer Edition kit that "will be free, at least initially," Lombardi said. Those kits will start shipping later in the spring as part of an "ongoing effort" to get the development hardware out widely ahead of a planned 2015 consumer launch. The decision to release it for free is interesting given that HTC Connected Products Marketing Executive Director Jeff Gattis recently said consumers should expect "a slightly higher price point" for the final version of the hardware.
"Pent up demand" means "there’s not so much price sensitivity early on."
Demand for what's sure to be a limited number of free development kits is likely to be extremely high, but Lombardi hasn't addressed how developers will be prioritized to receive the hardware. While developers "big and small" will be welcome to apply for consideration, it's unclear what kind of mix will be chosen to get access to the first available Developer Edition units. It's also unclear just how many development kits will be available in the initial batch of spring shipments.
HTC notes on its developer page that the Vive Developer Edition will be available "to select developers" in the spring, and the company offers an e-mail list for further updates. Valve's SteamVR landing page notes that the Developer Edition "comes with a headset, two controllers and two base stations—everything you need to dive in and start creating new interactive VR experiences."
Unlike Oculus' Rift distribution plan, Valve's system should make it more difficult for members of the general public (and the press) to get their hands on still-in-development hardware ahead of the consumer release.
