The announcement of Half-Life: Alyx has doubled sales of Valve's newest VR offering, the Index. The only problem is that the index has since been sold so anyone who is currently interested in buying the product cannot. While Half-Life: Alyx isn't an Index exclusive, people want to be able to play a highly anticipated game on the best possible configuration. It's also a great starting point for people who haven't bought VR yet, and if you're going to be starting out, Valve's new offering is certainly appealing.
At this time, various Index Kits are listed on Steam but are not available for purchase. Instead, there's just a "Notify Me" button next to each, for people who want to receive a message when the product is available for purchase again.
According to a report by Road to VR, the index is sold globally. Although they have not made public statements, many other hardware makers have said the supply will be affected by the ongoing coronavirus outbreak currently affecting China. It's also possible that interest in Half-Life: Alyx was greater than expected, knocking out the first wave of Clue Series, but the second wave could go through production as planned.
In January, a Valve spokesperson told Road to VR, "We are working hard to build more units and meet the high demand," and they expect the index to be back in stock. ahead of the release of Half-Life: Alyx, which is slated for March 23.
For now, the best course of action is to hit the "Notify Me" button on Steam, because when the index returns to stock it will be sure to sell out quickly. We will update this article as Valve makes more information available.
