Get Fallout 4 VR free with new HTC Vive bundle

Despite making you face the horrors of a nuclear holocaust head-on, fully immersed, Fallout 4 VR is one of the most hotly-anticipated virtual reality games on the way before the end of the year. And now, as an HTC Vive exclusive, it's just got even easier to get for VR newcomers.

Purchase a new HTC Vive, and Bethesda's irradiated open-world RPG is bundled in free of charge.

While the HTC Vive package itself remains pricey (packing the headset, two controllers and two motion-tracking sensors in for £599 / $599 / AU$999), that does save you having to fork out for the game on top, which itself costs £39.99 / $60 / AU$75.

Pip-ing Oculus to the post

It was quite the coup for the HTC Vive when Bethesda Softworks announced that Fallout 4 VR would exclusively come to its platform, eschewing the Oculus Rift (while PlayStation VR meanwhile gets the studios other big hit, Skyrim, converted into VR). Bethesda's parent company, ZeniMax Media, has long been embroiled in a legal battle with Oculus over potential patent infringements, which is likely a contributing factor in Fallout 4 VR skipping the Facebook-owned hardware.

For those that pick up a new HTC Vive, Fallout 4 VR will be shipped as a download code upon its release on December 12. Existing Vive owners that pick up Fallout 4 VR independently will be treated to a three-month subscription to Viveport, the HTC Vive VR game subscription service.

The news follows the announcement of a hardware refresh from Sony, making minor quality of life improvements to its PlayStation VR headset.