Oculus Rift official release window and details announced

Oculus Rift has just announced details for the consumer launch of their virtual reality headset. This is poised to become a benchmark product by which others are measured, and with Facebook’s backing we’re sure to see very interesting and significant developments down the line.

So when’s it coming? For how much? Will it help me survive the apocalypse? Fret not, because the answers are in. Here’s what we know so far:

• There will be a simple, sleek desktop sensor that doesn’t require anything but a USB connection to a PC.


• The release date for the Oculus Rift is scheduled to happen in Q1 2016.


• The integrated headphones are user removable.


• Oculus Rift will have a dial for adjusting lens focal distance.


• The headset’s design has been updated to better accommodate glasses.


• Oculus Rift will come pre-packaged with a wireless Xbox One controller.


• You will be able to stream Xbox One games to your Windows PC to play in Oculus Rift.


• Oculus is pledging million to help independent developers create games for Oculus Rift.


• Oculus Home will be a fully 3D VR-enabled user interface to buy and play all your games.


• Oculus Touch is a new input option that’ll allow you to control your games with your hands instead of a traditional controller. It supports gestures, hand presence and object manipulation in the game world.

We also get a first look at some of the launch games that will natively support Oculus Rift. One was an insane space combat action title called EVE Valkyrie (which, for what it’s worth, is also headed for the PlayStation 4 and Sony’s Project Morpheus headset). You can check out a quick trailer of it in action right here:

Other games announced for Oculus Rift include an exclusive third-party Insomniac title named Edge of Nowhere, as well as an interesting action RPG titled Chronos.

Damaged Core, VR Sports Challenge, Esper, AirMech VR and Lucky’s Tale are all slated to be on Oculus Rift in 2016, and available to try out for anyone attending E3 as soon as next week..

Unfortunately the details stop there, which means we still don’t have an exact release date, nor do we know how much it’ll hit our wallets for once it arrives. E3 is next week so we’ll be on the lookout for more details then. Otherwise, it looks like we’ll have to wait until we’re closer to that Q1 2016 launch window to be let in on more.