A treadmill may not be the first piece of hardware that comes to mind when it comes to PC gaming, but put two small letters in front of it and that’ll soon change. The evolution of home VR gaming.
VR treadmills typically have an omnidirectional base on which players can run, often wearing special shoes and harnessing attached arms. These are a fair amount of kits that have the potential to really improve your VR games, but they often come at a high price. That’s why I appreciate the Black Friday sales.
Kat VR’s Kat Walk C2 and C2+ model treadmills are hundreds of dollars off as part of the Black Friday sale. Cheaper C2 treadmills run from $1,398 to $1,099, and the more advanced C2+ with integrated seat and haptic feedback is available for $1,299 compared to the regular $1,598. Perfect if you’ve ever wanted to walk The Witcher 3 on a treadmill. (opens in new tab).
The deal also includes extra shoes required to use the treadmill, or a selection from the Kat Nexus Adapter. Shoes are the more expensive item, at $149 a pair. A Kat Nexus adapter would be a great addition as it allows compatibility with more systems, including standalone systems such as the Meta Quest 2 and possibly the Meta Quest 3. (opens in new tab)It also sells for $69 USD, so it’s a worthwhile choice to buy the shoe alone.
Both the C2 and C2+ units boast authentic and natural walking experiences that are easy to learn in VR. These Kat Walks let you run safely, sprint, strafing, crouch, jump, and move backwards. On the treadmill itself he is tethered to one space, so there is little risk of being out of sight.
These are all things that I always felt were missing in VR to have the full experience. Even in a free-roaming VR kit, jumping and speeding is always dangerous. Being put into a cool VR world and then told you can’t run around or jump can take the fun and freedom out of the experience. Plus, the more active you are, the more likely you are to reap the fitness benefits of VR gaming.
If you’re not ready to commit to the whole treadmill, Cat Loco S Sensor (opens in new tab) It also retails from $229 to $169. These are a series of clips paired with a base station that you can walk around in VR. It’s definitely not as cool as a treadmill, but it’s a much more affordable option that should give you a little more freedom in your space.
