With VR gear having a high price tag, it’s always a good idea to test the hardware first. HTC is now launching demo stations in the US for the HTC Vive.

HTC has already set up demo stations in the UK at a few retailers and US gamers will also be wanting to test the hardware for themselves. HTC will be setting up demo stations at a number of US GameStop outlets and Microsoft Stores.

Microsoft’s flagship store in New York, Microsoft at Bellevue Square in Washington and Microsoft at City Creek Center in Utah are the first stores to offer the Vive demo experience. Microsoft at Park Meadows Mall in Colorado will have demos available later this week and the demos stations will be rolled out to thirty more Microsoft stores later this month.

GameStop will have ten locations up and running by mid-April and a list of participating retailers will be posted on the HTC Vive website soon.

“This is without a doubt the year for virtual reality,” said Dan O’Brien, VP of HTC Vive. “Partnering with the nation’s largest, most respected retail stores is going to give every individual an opportunity to experience what virtual reality was truly meant to be – fully immersive and able to interact with content in a completely new way.”

HTC are making all the right moves launching the Vive at retailers which will make the general public more aware of VR and the Vive brand in the months ahead.