The Oculus Rift for is getting closer and closer. Now, details on the final consumer version of the VR headset have been revealed.
The Oculus Rift will release in Q1 2016. No specs have been released, but we now know that the headset is not wireless. The Rift has to plug into a PC, and Oculus does recommend using the Rift while sitting down, rather than walking. The headset is light enough to hold in a single hand, and comes with detachable headphones that mount onto the side of the adjustable side rails.
The Oculus Rift will allow users to adjust the IPD (interpupillary distance) of the optics, as not everyone’s eyes are the same distance apart. There is a slider that allows players to control the distance of the lenses. Inside of the headset is a pair of low persistence OLED screens, one for each eye. The entire optics display is removable, allowing users to install a pair of lenses that better suit their face. There can even be enough room for glasses. There is also a camera that tracks a players head movement.
Controller wise, the Oculus Rift comes packaged with a Xbox One controller. It has also been announced that Xbox games such as Halo and Sunset Overdrive will be playable on the Rift. There is no real immersion, however, as you play the games on a big-screen TV in a VR room.
Oculus is working on a motion controller for the Rift dubbed the Oculus Touch. This pair of wireless controllers wraps around each hand, and each have their own analog stick, two triggers, and two face buttons. The Rift can track them with its camera and the controller’s built-in sensors, and can recognize gestures made by the hand, such as waving or giving a thumbs-up. The controller will launch in the first half of 2016, and can be pre-ordered at the same time as the Rift. There is no word on pricing at the moment.
The Oculus Rift interface features a store, a friends list, and status indicators in the upper left-hand corner. The indicators include wifi and battery life. The battery life is for those who are plugged into a laptop, so gamers can see their laptop’s battery life without removing the headset.
The Oculus Rift will have a variety of titles when the headset releases. This includes the space dog fighting title EVE Valkyrie, a third-person adventure game where you explore a labyrinth entitled Chronos, a sports game entitled VR Sports Challenge, and a game where you have telekinetic powers called Esper. Developers such as Square Enix, Harmonix, and Insomniac are developing games as well.
Though the Oculus Rift does not come out until next year, the headset will be at E3. Stay tuned to Gamespresso for E3 news.