After making new Index stock available today after more than a month of the hardware being sold out, most regions saw the headset and other hardware quickly backordered by eight weeks or more.
Update #3 (March 9th, 2020): Shortly after new Index stock became available today, the headset and accompanying hardware quickly became backordered in most regions. Many packages are estimated to ship in eight weeks or more, though some say “8 to 10 weeks” and others “4 to 6 weeks.”
Orders can still be placed to allow customers to get into the queue, though shipping and billing info won’t be gathered until the order is ready to ship; Valve advises purchases will be filled in the order received.
Valve confirmed last month that, in addition to high demand for the headset ahead of Half-Life: Alyx, the supply of Index hardware was constrained by the Coronavirus outbreak due to interference with manufacturing operations. Update #2 (March 9th, 2020): Valve has confirmed the return of Index stock on Monday, March 9th. Here’s the full text given to Road to VR.
“Valve Index VR kits will be available for purchase this Monday (March 9th) starting at 10 AM PDT (5 PM UTC).
Due to high demand, we expect available stock to sell out on Monday. All purchases beyond this initial quantity will be fulfilled in the order in which they are received, as supplies increase over the coming months.”
Update #1 (March 4th, 2020): The Valve Index order page now shows ‘Coming Soon’ instead of ”Notify Me’, further lending credence to the rumor.
Original Article (March 4th, 2020): In the video (linked below), VNN’s Tyler McVicker claims to have seen the contents of a leaked Valve press email which maintains Index stock will return on Monday, March 9th at 10 AM PT (local time here).
The alleged email says that Valve expects stock to sell out immediately on Monday. If the email can be believed, this will very likely be the case, as the enthusiast-level headset has been sold out globally since January due to high demand.
We’ve reached out the Valve to verify the authenticity of the email, and have yet to hear back. We’ll update when/if we hear more (see update).
Lending credence to the claim, Valve told Road to VR in a statement last month that the company would indeed be made available before the launch of Half-Life: Alyx.
Here’s the statement Valve gave us last month:
“With Half-Life: Alyx coming March 23rd, we are working hard to meet demand for the Valve Index and want to reassure everyone that Index systems will be available for purchase prior to the game’s launch,” a Valve spokesperson said. “However, the global coronavirus health crisis has impacted our production schedules so we will have far fewer units for sale during the coming months compared to the volumes we originally planned. Our entire team is working hard right now to maximize availability.”
Provided the leak is authentic, this may be the last big chance to get some of the only guaranteed stock of Index before the launch of Half-Life: Alyx on March 23rd. The purchase of Index includes the game for free, a potent incentive if there ever was one.
McVicker has also been the conduit for several other leaks, including the very leak that basically outlined the entire HL:A project. As with all rumors, we’re remaining skeptical until proven otherwise.
Stay up to date with further developments of COVID-19 by visiting the World Health Organization’s website.