Valve Index VR headset sold out everywhere but Japan

Valve Index VR hardware is sold out in all regions except Japan ahead of the launch of flagship game Half-Life: Alyx.

The hardware can be bought in several packages, none of which are currently available to pre-order anywhere apart from Japan, where consumers can still buy a headset and controller bundle or the headset on its own, Road to VR reports.

Valve Index product pages now allow users to sign up for stock notifications and display the following message: “We’re busy catching up with demand for Valve Index!”

The lack of stock comes as Valve gears up for the March release of Half-Life: Alyx, a “full-length” VR entry in its FPS series that represents the “the next part” of the story rather than a spin-off.

“We are working hard to build more units and meet the high demand,” a Valve spokesperson told Road to VR. “We are targeting to be back in stock before Half-Life: Alyx ships.”

Powered by SteamVR on Valve’s Source 2 engine, Alyx will be compatible with multiple PC-based VR headsets. It can be pre-purchased for $59.99 but is free for owners of the Index headset or controllers.

Set between the events of Half-Life and Half-Life 2, the game sees protagonist Alyx Vance and her father Eli secretly mount a resistance to the occupation of Earth by a mysterious alien race known as The Combine.

Several new Half-Life: Alyx screenshots appeared online earlier this week, showing new enemies, redesigned Combine costumes and some of the general detail in the world of City 17.