After years of development, customers are finally able to pre-order the first consumer-ready version of the Oculus Rift virtual reality headset.
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One of the goals for Oculus Rift was to create an affordable VR headset.
Well, that changes now.
Oculus has opened the pre-order for the Rift, with a price-point of $599 and promises shipping to 20 countries starting March 28. According to Oculus VR founder Palmer Luckey, Oculus Rift is being sold at a loss, despite its bloated price tag.
The Oculus Touch, the controllers designed exclusively for VR has been delayed.
The Oculus Rift works by taking advantage of how the human brain perceives the world. A free copy of space dogfighter EVE: Valkyrie will also be included for pre-order buyers.
That includes two built-for-VR OLED displays with high refresh rate and pixel density, a precise tracking system, lightweight and durable mechanical adjustment systems, and cutting-edge optics more complex to manufacture than DSLR lenses.
Oculus also decided against making sacrifices by using cheaper, lesser-quality components and risk delivering a sub-par experience that doesn’t live up to expectations. “Earlier a year ago, we started officially messaging that the Rift+Recommended spec PC would cost roughly $1500″.
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But that’s not what many consumers expected to pay for the virtual reality device. Kaln also expressed skepticism on whether the VR tech will overthrow traditional 2D gaming, but also added that it will take time before knowing how much of an impact virtual reality gaming will make in the mass market. Gamers will get a wired headset, a camera that you’ll place on a desk or wall to help track your head movements, and a Microsoft Xbox One gamepad. In terms of price and PC requirements it certainly doesn’t seem like a mainstream device (well, initially at least), but anticipation for the unit is still riding high.
