On September 10, 2024, Virtuix, the Austin-based company behind the “Omni” multidirectional VR treadmill, will launch its highly-anticipated Omni One. It’s the realization of a decade-long journey that began with a Kickstarter campaign in 2013, but it’s also a significant step for home VR. Never before could a person do what Wade Watts did in the movie Ready Player One: move around freely inside the virtual world as you do in real life. Omni One turns that science fiction into reality.
Virtuix was founded in 2013 by Jan Goetgeluk, a mechanical engineer turned investment banker who believed that virtual reality was the future of gaming. Inspired by the Microsoft Kinect, Goetgeluk envisioned a device that would allow users to physically move within a virtual space. “I thought the biggest problem that hadn’t been solved yet was how to walk around inside virtual reality.” Goetgeluk recalled.
Virtuix founder and CEO, Jan Goetgeluk.
That vision prompted Goetgeluk to develop an omni-directional treadmill that lets players walk, run, crouch, and jump in 360 degrees. In his patented design, the player is held in place on top of a concave low-friction platform by a secure harness. Using special overshoes that fit on top of regular footwear, the players’ feet slide along the platform, simulating walking. It creates the illusion of a free-roam VR experience without physical boundaries, but within a highly compact footprint.
In 2013, Virtuix launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund the development of the Omni, raising over $1.1 million and attracting attention from tech enthusiasts and gamers alike.
CEO Jan Goetgeluk pitches the judges on Shark Tank.
Following the Kickstarter, Virtuix needed more substantial funding to move beyond the prototype stage. In 2014, Goetgeluk appeared on the reality TV show Shark Tank to pitch the Omni. Despite not securing a deal on the show, the exposure attracted the attention of investors. Shortly after, Virtuix raised a seed round of financing, with Mark Cuban among the early investors. Cuban’s involvement and additional investments in subsequent rounds provided a significant boost in credibility and helped Virtuix raise over $40 million from investors.
SHARK TANK – ABCs Shark Tank stars Mark Cuban. (Christopher Willard/ABC via Getty Images)MARK CUBAN
“I believe in the Virtuix team and technology,” said Cuban. “They’re bringing a revolutionary product to market that enables users to physically move around within virtual worlds. It’s a key piece of VR that’s been missing.”
With this infusion of cash, Virtuix was able to pivot to location-based entertainment, selling commercial systems to family entertainment centers like Dave & Buster’s and Sky Zone. “We realized that the consumer market wasn’t there yet, so we decided to focus on the commercial market,” Goetgeluk explained. “Our turnkey attraction, Omni Arena, allowed us to introduce consumers to our technology and build a loyal customer base.”
An Omni Arena installation at Dave & Buster’s.
Omni Arena is a four-player VR esports attraction that utilizes “Omni Pro” treadmills, a more robust version of the original Kickstarter Omni. Players can compete for the top spots on leaderboards and win prizes from a $100,000 annual prize pool. The attraction has become one of the most successful VR systems on the market with 78 Omni Arena locations across the U.S. and a devoted player community of more than 400,000 registered users.
“Our players kept asking us, when can I get this for my home?” Goetgeluk recalled. In 2020, Virtuix started development of Omni One, its first consumer system designed for the home. “With the advent of standalone VR headsets, we finally had the technology to bring our vision of a complete home VR system to life.”
With a 4-foot diameter and collapsible design, Omni One is significantly more compact and portable than its commercial predecessor. It is sold as a complete system and comes bundled with a customized Pico 4 Enterprise headset that features a dedicated game store, with over 50 titles optimized for Omni One’s unique movement capabilities.
The Omni One is the only way to experience “Free roam” or warehouse scale VR in the home.
Omni One’s introductory price is $2,595 plus shipping, which includes both the treadmill and the $899 headset. Sounds pricey, but Bob Cooney, an author and analyst who follows Virtuix, says “Virtuix seems to be taking a very conservative approach to their growth. It will come down to execution, customer acquisition costs, and content management. That last one is going to be key, because at this price point people’s expectations will be high.”
Virtuix has already shipped hundreds of Omni One beta units and received enthusiastic feedback from early users. The company secured over 3,000 preorders for Omni One and is now ready to start delivering its state-of-the-art gaming system to consumers.
With the Omni One players can finally experience the VR worlds they visit like Wade Watts in “Ready … [+]
“We’re thrilled with the success of our preorder campaign and our community’s excitement about Omni One,” said Goetgeluk. “Omni One is a groundbreaking product that sets us up for rapid revenue growth. Shipping just 3,000 units a month would bring in $100 million in annual revenues. We’re ready to scale.”
“Our journey has been long, but we’ve stayed true to our vision,” Goetgeluk reflected. “Omni One is a game-changer, and we’re excited to bring this revolutionary product to gamers around the world.”
