The folks at Oculus Rift have confirmed a final shipping window for the consumer edition of their virtual reality headset. It’ll be out at some point in Q1 2016, with pre-sales for the device commencing this Wednesday, they’ve announced.
With that, the company released some final renders of what the consumer product will look like once it touches ground next year. You’ll find that it’s a refined version of the Crescent Bay prototype that they’ve been worked on largely throughout its entire development, which is great considering that design was already pretty slick.
Developers have had their hands dipped in the Oculus Rift SDK for quite some time now, and the company has assured us that the earliest efforts will be showcased at their big E3 showing next month.
While other companies have already started introducing viable virtual reality solutions — either through the use of smartphone-augmented units like the Samsung Gear VR or standalone goodness such as HTC’s Re Vive — but Oculus Rift still seems poised to present one of the most ambitious consumer-ready virtual reality experiences to date. We’ll have to wait until June to find out what, exactly, they’re looking to do to make that happen.
Oculus Rift is making a big announcement today, and you guessed it: it’s being live-streamed. It’s all going down at 1PM Eastern, and we expect to hear details about the consumer launch of the virtual reality headset, including possible pricing, release date, a new name and — of course — a look at the final design they’ll be going with for its life on store shelves.
That its launch is being streamed on Twitch also suggests we’ll be in store for some new gameplay demos. Recent rumors suggest Oculus Rift will look somewhat similar to the latest Crescent Bay prototype that developers have been using to whip up their content.
A leak from the company’s own website seemingly contradicted that, though Oculus Rift noted that the devices spotted in the images on their website were “ancient” placeholder renders. Whether that’s just a convenient excuse to throw us off the trail remains to be seen, but we suppose the point is moot considering there are only a couple of short hours before all the details are spilled. Be sure to use the Twitch embed above to follow along once 1PM arrives.
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.
The folks at Oculus are looking to fuel game development for the Samsung Gear VR. To do this, they thrown together a little contest they’re calling Mobile VR Jam 2015. The contest promised more than ,000,000 in prizes in exchange for developers’ hard work, with the top dog being awarded a 0,000 cash prize. Yeah, that can buy a lot of ramen.
More than 1,000 developers from all over the world contributed and after 4 weeks, Oculus is ready to announce their top picks. If you’re looking to try out some exciting new content on your Samsung Gear VR Innovator Edition, you came to the right place. All 27 winners have supplied a download link to their apps where they can easily be downloaded and manually installed to your Android device. Let’s take a look at the top 27 winners.
SteamCrew VR
SteamCrew VR is a unique steam punk themed game that requires 2-player co-op to pilot an underwater submarine. You’ll need to download the game on each Gear VR (hopefully you have a spare laying around) and yell out commands to the other player to avoid terrain or fire torpedoes. The title wont Oculus’ top award for VR game, netting the development team a cool 0,000. Sounds like a wicked good time.
The Night Cafe: An Immersive Tribute to Vincent van Gogh
This one won the award for best “app experience” meaning it’s not really a game, but definitely worth checking out. Basically, you traverse a world brought to life by Vincent van Gogh’s unique artistic style. It’s a lot like an acid trip without all the long terms effects. Groovy.
DRIFT is a self-proclaimed bullet simulator. Player take control of bullets as they search out their target: the elusive green man. To make things easier (or more dramatic), players can slow down time to a crawl in order to guide a bullet around obstacles. With a unique visual style, this one’s got VR written all over it.
Because not every game is all about action, Daydream Blue takes players on a relaxing fishing trip to the lake. With your pet robot by your side, you’ll catch fish, watch the clouds from your boat, or play fetch with your robot. Sounds like the perfect weekend getaway.
VR is a great medium for telling stories. Colosse brings rich storytelling to the Gear VR in something that reminds of the game Shadow of the Colossus. Users need only to direct their gaze in order to make sense of everything going on around them. Simply put, it looks fantastic. Just keep in mind this is a preview version and not the full game.
Another VR experience, Along the Trail takes users on a visual journey across past memories. It does this by connecting to social network like Facebook, allowing users to “relive” past moments — only in trippy VR kinda way.
If you’re looking for some slower paced action, Scorched Battalion has got you covered. It’s basically a VR version of the classic Scorched Earth turn-based game tank game in a table-top, WWII setting. Sound intriguing? Check out the video above to see how it works in action.
If you’re looking for something more out of your VR headset than just mindless entertainment, Neuralgia could be exactly what you’re looking for. An “asymmetrical co-op game,” you and a friend team up to make sense of clues and solve puzzles. Just don’t pull each other’s hair out.
If you’ve always wanted to experience the life of a warden, Panopticon finally makes it happen. You’ll need to keep a careful eye on inmates to ensure their captivity, and make sure no one escapes on your shift. You even get to use a whistle!
In Bazaar, players travel down canal on a magic carpet, matching colors of object with others hidden in the environment. Once an object has been cleared, it travels up to the sky where it becomes a consolation. Yeah, doesn’t make sense, but it looks like some good clean fun.
In Soundscape VR, you and an anonymous player team up for a futuristic jam session. Players are brought together using Soundscape’s online matchmaking system, or there’s always the option to simply play alone.
Speech Center is an incredibly unique VR experience that looks to help you master public speaking. It does this by putting you in a huge room full of people while a coach provides you with tips on improving your speaking skills. It’s honestly pretty genius.
What platform would be complete without a good old fashioned tower defense game. In Atop the Wizard’s Tower, players must fight back an oncoming horde of enemies — all while sitting comfortably atop their tower, out of harm’s way.
Maiden Chaos is a top-down, run n’ gun shooter set in the future. You basically control a little woman in a red jumpsuit as she blasts robots in a military compound. This one requires the Samsung Gamepad controller, so hopefully you have that handy.
Audio Arena is a music game that requires players to hit targets to the beat. You’ll need to stay on beat to clear out enemies that surround you, building up sync bonuses for combos. It’s actually pretty fun looking and the soundtrack is a nice touch.
PhaseShift is a “cinematic platformer” with twist. Players must guide Dr. Hoffman as he jumps around between dimensional portals controlled by the player’s gaze. It’s a lot like Prince of Persia but with an entirely unique take on the platforming genre. We think the retro 3D pixel art was also a nice touch as well.
If you were a fan of look-and-tap adventure games like Myst, Captain Clark Adventures is essentially a VR title in a similar vein. You’ll basically need to solve puzzles in an effort to escape the dastardly pirates that have taken you prisoner. The trailer looks pretty epic, so have a look see.
Technolust transports players to a dystopian future where they take control of a security professional who must maintain order while fueling his obsession for ramen noodles and VR apps. Players do this by tracking down suspected criminals and preventing crimes before they even do them based on their AI profiles. You’ll only have a limited amount of time to do so, so you’ll need to act quick.
Polo is a 2-player, asymetical game of cat and mouse. Whoever is wearing the VR headset will take control of the mouse (Polo) while someone else uses an Android phone or tablet to control the cat (Marco). If you don’t have any friends, there’s also a single player mode where you go up against the CPU.
Wendy is definitely one of the more lighthearted titles on this list. Players basically assume the role of a witch named Wendy who must learn how to make potions and magic through a variety of puzzles. Oh, and she’s got a pretty cute cat too.
Blind Swordsman is the most graphically intense, visually impressive VR title you’ll ever see. The only problem is you’re a blind man, so you can’t really see any of it. Basically you get faced up against opponents and must use your senses to attack opponents as they near. One false move, and you’re done for.
Double Destruction is another 2-player co-op game in which communication and teamwork are vital to success. One player controls a shrunken down version of themselves who must escape a tabletop dungeon while their friend keeps enemies at bay with a lantern using their Android smartphone or tablet.
DMZ is another VR experience, but one that’s arguably more impactful thanks to being based in reality. Directed by Hayoun Kwon, DMZ is an interactive documentary on the secrets behind the Demilitirazed Zone on the North Korean border. You’ll hear a firsthand account of one soldiers memories, brought to life in virtual-reality.
Because what good is VR if it can’t actually teach us anything, NeoS: The Universe is an educational experience meant to showcase the power of scientific communication by way of VR. It’s more or less a technical demo of the things you can build in NeoS VR (formerly World of Comenius).
In House of Languages, a cute and friendly language instructor — named Mr. Woo — takes you around a room full of everyday objects in an effort to teach you a new language. English, German, and Spanish are all covered, and you must identify objects to help Mr. Woo find what he’s looking for.
An audio-visual experience, Tana Pura takes players on a journey on what happens after death, all set to music from Jonny Greenwood. Since it’s more of a passive experience, you wont have to do too much, but there are small interactions in the app making each play through slightly unique from the last.
Bouncinator is Oculus’ Community’s Choice Game winner and involves taking control of a bouncer who must inspect party goers for any dangerous objects before entering. There’s all kinds of weapons tools at your disposal, from x-ray specs, to flame throwers. Whatever you do, don’t get fired. It ain’t easy out there for a robot.
