The HTC Vive is already an expensive piece of kit, and unfortunately for those in the UK wishing to get their hands on the Vive, it’s now got a lot more expensive thanks to the pound’s poor currency exchange rate against the dollar which has been blamed on Brexit, the UK’s decision to leave the European Union.
Customers in the UK will now need to pay £815.69 to get their hands on an HTC Vice. The base price of the Vive has risen to £759 plus postage and packaging which brings the total price to an eye watering £815.69. Before the price hike, the virtual reality kit was priced at £689 plus postage.
“HTC continuously monitors and adjusts pricing to ensure we are providing our customers with the best value possible,” HTC said. “Due to recent currency valuation changes and the current value of the GBP we are adjusting the price of the HTC Vive in the UK to £759 + P&P.”
They added, “We are committed to providing the best possible VR experience with Vive and would like to thank our UK customers and partners for their continued support.”
The price hike of the HTC Vice in the UK is the first real sign of gaming costing more for Brits as a result of Brexit, and while games and current-gen consoles have remained at the same price, it is expected that PC gaming will be hit the hardest with PC components, including graphics cards, likely to cost more in the UK than they previously would have been thanks to the pound’s devaluation. If the pound rises in value again, it’s likely that the cost to consumers may lower as a result, however.
