The announcement was made at a special Oculus event yesterday. To the annoyance of many, the company still dodged questions of exactly when pre-orders will open and there is still a notable absence of any pricing details. Oculus has previously said that you will be able to get the Rift and the powerful computer hardware that it requires to power it for under $1,500 though.
Oculus has announced the consumer version of the Rift VR headset
Oculus VR
Wired reports that Oculus CEO Brendan Iribe introduced the Rift as “the beginning of VR gaming,” saying “You’re going to experience games as you’ve always dreamed of experiencing them.”
The consumer version of the Rift is a much more refined product than the developer units that are currently available. It sports a redesigned tracking system for enhanced precision and a much slimmer, lighter design that is said to be more like wearing a cycling helmet.
Oculus has announced the consumer version of the Rift VR headset
Oculus VR
The headset is wrapped in soft fabric and moulded for a more ergonomic fit. Digital Trends notes that the weight distribution is now more balanced so the whole device feels much more comfortable than before — even for wearers of glasses.
In a surprise announcement, Oculus revealed a partnership with Microsoft for the Rift. The two-way deal sees the Rift shipping with an Xbox One controller out of the box as its primary input device, while Windows 10 will have full support for the headset from the outset using its new DirectX 12 graphics APIs.
Oculus has announced the consumer version of the Rift VR headset
Oculus VR
Gamers who aren’t fond of Microsoft’s Xbox One controller will be pleased to know that Oculus is working on an alternative. Called Oculus Touch, the unique controller borrows the location tracking technology of the headset itself and applies it to your fingers, allowing you to move your hands on the Oculus Touch’s joysticks and buttons and see the precise action replicated in game.
Oculus has announced the consumer version of the Rift VR headset
Oculus VR
Oculus Rift should finally be on sale in the first quarter of 2016. Although there is still no sign of pricing, gamers are assured that the Rift will be getting an impressive selection of games to choose from at launch from first-person shooters, immersive sports titles, space dogfighters and the latest generation of realistic driving simulators.
Whatever genre of game you like to play, the Rift wants to be able to power it and it shouldn’t be too much longer before ordinary gamers will actually be able to try it. After several setbacks and redesigns, Oculus has finally shown off a product that it sees as ready for consumers in the latest development in virtual reality technology.
