We"re less than a week into the new year but it has already become more than abundantly clear from CESthat 2016 is the year of virtual reality. At the forefront of this newvirtual reality wave are three trailblazing new products: Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and PlayStation VR.Eachoffers its own unique interpretation of what virtual reality gaming has the potential to become.
But how exactly do these devices compare?
The Oculus Rift and HTC Vive are arguably therivals inthe industry given both are designed to be top-of-the-linePC-centric devices. Spec details are limited but Digital Trends shared a comparison chart based on the Oculus Rift consumer model and HTC Vive development kit.
For the most part, the Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive are closely matched, both of which boast an OLED display with 2160 x 1200 resolution (1080x1200px for each eye), a refresh rate of 90Hz, and a 110 degree field of view. The Oculus Rift also features numerous sensors including an accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer and 360-degree positional tracking via the Rift"s Constellation tracking system, a single sensor mounted to a ten-inch stand.
The HTC Vive offers similar sensors, but forgoes the magnetometer and positional tracking, opting for a laser position sensor and front-facing camera to aid the user"s sense of environmental awareness despite wearing the immersive VR unit. The front-facing camera, cleverly named the "Chaperone,"is an especially clutch feature as our very own Marc Perton describedduring his test drive of the Vive, especially since neither the Oculus or the PlayStation VR has implemented this feature.
"At any time, a double-tap on a controller button brings up a real-world overlay on top of whatever youre doing in the virtual space," said Perton. "While it might seem jarring to suddenly merge the virtual and the actual, HTCs implementation makes it incredibly natural.
The laser position sensor is unique to the HTC as well, although this system requires the user to set up laser poles at the corners of the room for spatial calibration, which we"ve yet to determine whether it is a pro or con. On one hand, the laser positioning system offers a generous tracking area of 15 x 15 feet that potentially allow users more freedom to move around in a room versus the Oculus Rift, which will depend on the ability of the single constellation tracking sensor. On the other hand, the laser sensorsmight also make the HTC Vive a more cumbersome product that is more complicated to set up.
According to Oculus, the new Rift will require a graphics card that is equivalent or greater than the NVIDIA GTX 970 / AMD 290, a minimum 8GB RAM, compatible HDMI 1.3 video output, two USB 3.0 ports, and Windows 7 SP1 or newer OS. Given the identical display, resolution and refresh rate for the HTC Vive, we assume that the Vive requirements aren"t far off.
HTC Vive kit. HTC Oculus Rift kit. Oculus
Other features available on the Oculus Rift include built-in 3D audio and built-in mic, as well as an Oculus Touch remoteand compatibility with theXbox One controller. Meanwhile, the HTC Vive features a SteamVR controller but also promises compatibility with various PC gamepads. That said, the Vive does not have built-in audio just yet and has notannouncedbuilt-in mic capabilities. From the demo videos we"ve seen on the web, users are wearing a set of headphones over the Vive unit, which means the user"s will have the unique, and perhaps unfavorable, experienceof having both their eyes and ears completely covered.
Pricing of the Oculus Rift will start at $599 with the first pre-orders shipped by the end of March. The HTC Vive price tag has yet to be announced, but despite the lack of built-in audio and built-in mic for now, the Vive certainly does not seem like an inferior product. It will be interesting to learn how the HTC Vive will be priced in the days ahead.
The PlayStation VR is dedicated to Sony"s PlayStation 4 console, but comparisons between the Sony headset alongside its PC counterparts are inevitable. Like the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, the PlayStation VR will arrive to the market at some point in 2016. What"s more, the specs on the PlayStation VR are not far off either.
PlayStation VR Kit VRFocus / Twitter
While both the Rift and Vive boast 2160 x 1200 resolution, the PlayStation VR will make do with 1920 x 1080 (960 x 1080 for each eye). That said, while the Rift and Vive boast 90Hz refresh rates, the PlayStation VR can render games at up to 120Hz, which potentially translates to even better image movement fluidity. Next, the PlayStation VR also features a built-in 3D audio speaker design, which is similar to the Rift and not available in the Vive. However, there is one key aspect that suggests that the PlayStation VR isn"t necessarily at the same level as its PC virtual reality counterparts.
Unlike the Oculus Rift"s Constellation Positioning System and the HTC Vive"s laser position sensor, the PlayStation VR will simply utilize the PlayStation Eye camera as the tracking system. Moreover, the PlayStation VR will pair with the Dual Shock 4 and the PlayStation Move motion controller as well. By syncing withexisting peripherals rather than demand more hardware, this enables the PlayStation VR to position itself at a more affordable price range.
However, the PlayStation VR will also feature an external processor to ensure the PS4 will be able to handle the demanding virtual reality graphics, which could severely eliminate Sony"s pricing advantage over Oculus and HTC. Specifics regarding the external processor are limited, but the processor is an add-on box "a bit smaller than the Wii" that plugs into the console. The headset in turn plugs into the external unit. The external processor also features an HDMI input and output for "social screen" functionality, which means it will allow other friends in the room to use the TV and PS4 to interact with, or simply watch, the person playing within the PlayStation VR.
Even if the external PlayStation comes at a premium, we cannot ignore thatthe Oculus Rift, and the HTC Vive by extension, demands premium PC hardware for the processing power necessary to run virtual reality. At the end of the day,the PlayStation VR is paired with Sony"s current PS4 console, which currently retails for just $350, or approximately the same price as oneNvidia GTX 970 computer graphics card.
In that regard, the PlayStation VR should still offer a moreaffordable price point that can give Sony a significant leg up over the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. What"s more, the PS4 gaming console may also be better positioned for popular, mainstream virtual reality gaming content than the PC counterparts.
Ultimately, most of what we"re saying is conjecture based on the information we have at this point and it"s difficult to say which of the three VR devices are bestuntil they actually reach the market. During a Reddit AMA session on Wednesday, Oculus Rift CEO Palmer Luckey noted that virtual reality technology is truly in its infancy right now that naturally leads to a discordance among the range of VR offerings.
"We are focusing on launching our own product right now," said Luckey. "but when standardization does eventually happen, it will be the result of collaboration between many companies, not control by a single company."
Oculus Rift Price, Release Date Revealed - IGN News Oculus Rift at a glance
"Oculus Touch" motion control system delayed till second half of 2016
Pre-orders available now, priced at $599.99 (410)
First headsets expected to ship in March
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Oculus Rift latest news
07/01/2016: Palmer Luckey has taken to Reddit to answer fans questions on the Oculus Rift pre-order launch in an AMA.
The main topic of conversation was understandably the pre-order price, which has come as a shock to some, costing $599.
Luckey was quick to deflect claims that the price was artificially inflated, reassuring fans that we dont make money on the Rift.
He referenced the high quality of the components used in the device, particularly the OLED display.
It is expensive, he conceded, but for the $599 you spend, you get a lot more than spending $599 on pretty much any other consumer electronics devices."
He also noted that phones that cost $599 cost a fraction of that to make, same with mid-range TVs that cost $599, and reiterated that the Rift was selling virtually at cost.
Many Redditors were calling for the Rifts pre-order bundle which comes with an Xbox One controller, headphones and two games to be stripped down in order to provide a cheaper option for consumers.
According to Luckey, however, the expense of including these extras is insignificiant, and they just dont significantly impact the cost.
High end VR is expensive, Luckey tweeted, but Rift is obscenely cheap for what it is.
06/01/2016 - 16.16: The Oculus Rift is now available for pre-order, starting at $599.99. It is expected to ship in March.
The price, which does not include tax and shipping, has drawn criticism from some fans on social media, many of whom say it is more than they are willing to pay.
While no localised pricing is available, this works out to around 410 at current exchange rates, again before tax. With the various duties included, UK pre-orders will end up costing around 500.
It is unknown whether or not pricing will fall after the device goes on general release.
06/01/2016 - 13.19:Palmer Luckey has revealed that Oculus wont lock people into pre-orders for the Rift.
Rift pre-orders are different from most of the games industry, he wrote in a tweet, stating that customers dont get charged until we ship.
Luckey also mentioned that while the launch of Oculus Touch has been delayed, anyone who pre-orders an Oculus Rift will have the first opportunity to pre-order the control system when it does become available later in the year.
With pre-orders set to officially open in less than 3 hours, well also likely know the devices final price before the day is out.
05/01/2016 - 16.43:Oculus original Kickstarter backers will be receiving free Oculus Rift consumer headsets, the company has announced.
Anyone that registered to receive one of the original Developer Kits by pledging $300 or more in the 2012 campaign will receive a special Kickstarter Edition of the finished product.
Over 5,600 backers are eligible for the offer, and as with preorders, the devices will ship with free copies of Luckys Tale and EVE: Valkyrie.
Backers must claim their free Rift by filling in a survey, which Oculus says Kickstarter will send out before 1 February.
However, the offer is only available to residents of the 12 countries that the Rift is launching in.
The company says it is working on an alternative, but has not disclosed what that alternative is.
The flurry of news from the company also indicates that it is almost certainly gearing up to announce the final launch date of the Oculus Rift at CES.
05/01/2016 - 09.53: Pre-order dates for the Oculus Rift will open on 6 January, the company has announced.
From 8AM PST (4PM GMT), VR fans will be able to place their orders for the device on Oculus website.
To mark the launch and answer the presumably numerous questions that fans will have, founder Palmer Luckey will be staging a Reddit AMA on Tuesday at 6PM PST (Wednesday 2AM GMT).
New details about the Rift and its launch are expected to be revealed during the session, with further information coming at CES 2016.
Also anticipated at the Las Vegas technology show are major announcements from the HTC Vive and PlayStation VR.
04/01/2016: The Oculus Rifts second launch title has been confirmed as Luckys Tale.
The cartoon platformer, which is being published as a first-party exclusive by Oculus Studios, will be included for free with every Oculus Rift headset.
Luckys Tale features an animated cartoon fox as its hero, and appears to owe a debt to classic genre icons like Crash Bandicoot and Jak & Daxter.
It will be played with the Xbox One gamepad (also included) rather than the Oculus Touch motion controllers however, as their launch has been delayed.
According to a blog post, the company has decided that we need more time before release, and well now be shipping Touch in the second half of 2016.
The feedback on Touch has been incredibly positive, and we know this new timeline will produce an even better product, one that will set the bar for VR input. We appreciate your patience and promise Touch will be worth the wait.
23/12/2015: Oculus Rift preorders will start in January, according to Palmer Luckey.
Following the announcement that developers would soon start receiving near finalized versions of the hardware, Oculus founder Luckey tweeted that pre-orders would be coming soon after new year.
He stated that the company was still on-target for an awesome Rift launch in Q1, but reassured fans that we wont launch pre-orders without warning.
It"s still unknown when the final launch date will be released, but the CES technology expo in Las Vegas is currently looking likely.
22/12/2015: Oculus has released the first consumer versions of the Rift to developers.
In advance of its Q1 launch, the company is sending out the first iterations of its headset as it will appear on shelves, along with the Rift SDK 1.0.
The news was announced in an email to developers preparing titles for the Oculus Rift, as well as in an official blog post.
The units are still technically classified as early builds, but are thought to be basically identical to the finished consumer product.
The real news is the new iteration of Oculus development software, which now includes support for features tied to the consumer product.
Because of this, theyre limiting the current run of dev kits to studios that are putting final touches on launch titles, with everyone else advised to use pre-existing resources.
The company will be releasing new Rift units every week up until the (still unspecified) launch in 2016.
10/12/2015:EVE: Valkyrie will be bundled free with pre-orders of the Oculus Rift as a launch title, it has been announced today.
A spin-off of CCP Games wildly popular MMO EVE: Online, EVE: Valkyrie is a first-person space combat sim which sees players put behind the controls of a starfighter.
As demonstrated by Elite: Dangerous, space games are excellent for showing off VR technology, and early builds of Valkyrie have often been used at conventions and events to demo the Oculus Rift.
EVE: Valkyrie is one of the most anticipated virtual reality games, and one of the first true VR games to go into development, Oculus founder Palmer Luckey said. It perfectly captures the promise of immersive gaming, shooting you into a sci-fi adventure as you pilot a spaceship in search of combat.
Battling your friends (and enemies) in multiplayer space dogfights is the ultimate VR thrill, and were excited to partner with CCP to bring this experience to Rift owners everywhere.
04/12/2015:A VR version of Rock Band looks set to make an appearance on the Oculus Rift.
The guitar-based game is pencilled in to launch in 2016. At the Game Awards in Los Angeles, Oculus co-founder Palmer Luckey said the new game would debut in March.
The firm also released a video on YouTube about the game.
03/12/2015:The ability to interact with virtual reality environments in a convincing and natural manner is currently one of the major obstacles to VRs mainstream adoption. Oculus, however, thinks its cracked it with its new prototype controllers, known as Oculus Touch.
We tried the new Touch controllers, along with the latest pre-release Oculus Rift developer kit, courtesy of Bossa Studios. As with the HTC Vive, we demoed it with Bossas virtual reality version of its 2013 hit, Surgeon Simulator: ER.
The headset itself is rather attractive. The materials and build quality feel sturdy, and its well-designed enough to mostly circumvent the problem of looking like a berk while you use it. It also works perfectly with glasses, which the earlier prototypes didnt.
The real stars, though, are the Oculus Touch controllers. They sort of resemble the nunchuck peripheral that came with Nintendos WiiMote, with a thumbstick and two buttons on the top, and a trigger under the index finger. Its also got a larger trigger running along the side, where the other fingers naturally rest.
Modelling courtesy of Alphr"s Vaughn Highfield
In effect, this means that when you reach out to pick up or grip something, the controllers can register reasonably realistic hand motion, rather than just offering positional tracking. It"s a similar input system to the one offered by the HTC Vive, which uses similar pressure-sensitive sections on its motion wands.
Whats immediately noticeable is that the Oculus Touch controllers feel great in the hands. Theyre much more natural and ergonomically-shaped than the Vives motion wands, and the inputs feel more intuitive as a result.
We did experience some unfortunate tracking issues, however. During the demo, our left hand went completely wild, glitching randomly around the play space to the point that it was completely unusable. On the other hand (literally), the tracking on the non-possessed hand felt smooth and accurate, with little in the way of positional hiccups.
It"s worth bearing in mind that both the Vive and Oculus Touch are still some way off a consumer release. The Vive and its associated peripherals are still technically development versions, and so are likely to have a much nicer and more comfortable form-factor than they do now.
Likewise, while Oculus" motion controllers appear to be basically finished from a design and manufacturing standpoint, it"s clear that more work needs to be done on the software and tracking that enables them.
Technically speaking, the Vive is currently better in practice, but the Rift is far from disappointing. Design-wise, the Touch controllers are leagues ahead of the Vive, and the stick and button placement will be much better suited to traditional gaming. They need polish, particularly in terms of accuracy, but the Oculus and its Touch controllers are absolutely a worthy contender for the Vive.
01/12/2015: Oculus could announce the price and release date for its first wave of consumer headsets before the end of the year.
The company has announced that it will be making a special announcement on Thursday during this years Game Awards, a ceremony celebrating achievement within the games industry.
Oculus has yet to elaborate on exactly what this announcement will entail, but given that the projected Q1 release of the Oculus Rift headset is approaching fast, many are eagerly speculating that it will involve the announcement of concrete release details.
While the financial support of Facebook ensures that Oculus has more than enough cash to finance its own lavish launch show, announcing the Rift during a popular industry show would ensure that as many people as possible are watching.
If the rumours are true, the Oculus Rift would be the first major virtual reality device to issue any confirmed details about a consumer release, as both Sony and HTC are still being extremely cagey about when their headsets are going to hit the market.
26/11/2015: Samsung"s Gear VR headset could be the silver bullet that the virtual reality industry has been waiting for.
The final version of the company"s mobile VR headset went on sale earlier this month and has been met with an overwhelmingly positive response.
Both critics and consumers have fallen in love with it, and many are now heralding it as the gateway drug that will provide the general public with a cheap, accessible way into VR.
Stephanie Llamas,Director of Research for analyst firm SuperData predicted that VR newcomers will adopt mobile technology like Samsung"s headset before graduating to more advanced forms."Initially, affordable smartphone devices will drive the bulk of sales as consumers first explore virtual reality before committing to the more expensive platforms, she said.
12/11/2015: Oculus has announced that its other virtual reality headset - the Samsung Gear VR - is now available to pre-order for $99, or roughly 65.
The headset uses a Samsung Galaxy handset to provide the display and the hardware, using the phone"s inbuilt sensors and gyroscopes to track users" head movement.
Produced in conjunction with the Korean smartphone manufacturer, the mobile VR headset is an official mass-market version of the device, following the limited release of an early "innovator edition" last year.
Oculus boasts that the newer model is 19 per cent lighter, with a better-designed chassis and a redesigned touchpad. It"s also got a wider range of compatibility than the previous edition, working with the whole Galaxy S6 family as well as the Galaxy Note 5.
In other Oculus Rift news this week, London Mayor Boris Johnson"s recent experience with the device led to him barking like a dog while on a diplomatic mission to the Middle East.
02/10/2015:The Oculus Rift will retail for at least $350, but probably more, according to founder Palmer Luckey.
Alphr senior staff writer Vaughn Highfield says:
"Oculus revising the Rift"s pricing makes sense. It"s impossible to bring the final build to market at the low price of the first Dev Kits, as it"s got a better display, built-in headphones and premium design and build quality. The price could be lowered if they released a cheap plastic device, but Oculus has to make a premium product since it"s currently seen as the leader in VR. Facebook could offset this cost, but that"s not the point. Only enthusiasts with high-end machines will pick the Oculus Rift up at launch, and they"re also the same people who will pay a premium to do so."
Speaking to Road To VR, Luckey explained that the figure, which has been revised slightly from the companys original price projection of roughly $300-$350, is a result of investment in improved hardware.
Were roughly in that ballpark but its going to cost more than that," he said. "And the reason for that is that weve added a lot of technology to this thing beyond what existed in the DK1 and DK2 [developer kit] days.
He added that although they could have brought the price down, this would have resulted in a less impressive device.
This is the first consumer VR headset that were going to be pushing out to people," he said. "We need to put a stake in the ground and say: this is the best possible experience that we were able to make. No compromises were made in terms of quality.
The final figure is yet to be confirmed, but while this price could go up, it does provide some indication that Oculus is still targeting a sub-$500 release.
25/09/2015:Smash hit crafting sim Minecraft will be coming to the Oculus Rift, it was announced today.
The unsurprising news was delivered by founder Palmer Luckey as part of the companys Connect developer conference.
The game has been optimised not by creators Mojang or Microsoft, however, but has instead been converted primarily by John Carmack.
Late of legendary Doom developer Id Software, Carmack has been an evangelist for the Oculus Rift since he was introduced to the very first prototype.
He has been instrumental in the technologys growth and joined Oculus in 2013 as its CTO.
Bringing Minecraft to the Rift was something of a personal mission for Carmack, and said during development If this doesn"t happen I"m going to cry.
Such were the lengths he went to to make the project happen, that he even signed a contract stating that any work he did on the game was both unpaid and entirely owned by Microsoft.
Oculus lawyers were apparently not pleased. This is terrible, they own everything you do, they said, telling Carmack that youre basically working for Microsoft when youre working on this".
He remained undeterred, however, and maintains that this is going to be the best thing we can do for the platform".
"I think [Minecraft is] the single most important application that we can do for virtual reality, he said, to make sure that we have an army of fanatic, passionate supporters that will advocate why VR is great.
This is a huge, huge win for me, he added. "Everybody that worked on that at Oculus and Facebook, you all have my deepest thanks for making this happen."
PC Gamer also reports that Oculus" VP of Product, Nate Mitchell, has also let slip some pricing details about the forthcoming headset, saying "we all know it"s going to be at least $300".
He went on to explain the device"s current lack of pre-order availability, stating that"there isn"t a big reason to take your money too far ahead of the device".
Mitchell compared Oculus" release strategy to Apple"s:"they announce it, one week later you can pre-order it, the next week it ships. That is like the ideal user experience."
23/09/2015:Oculus founder Palmer Luckey has confirmed that pre-orders of the Oculus Rift consumer model will not be launching at the companys Connect 2 developer conference.
In a post on the Oculus Rift Sub-Reddit, he said he wanted to make sure nobody is disappointed or surprised, and warned users don"t wear out your F5 key while you are watching the keynote!
The main reason for the lack of pre-order details at the conference, he said, is that Connect is a developer show first, designed to allow creators and engineers to get to grips with VR technology.
Fans may still have a reason to tune in, however, as he also stated that there will be some consumer-facing announcements and that Oculus will be co-announcing some really cool stuff.
Its still unknown what said really cool stuff is likely to be, but it could be another hardware partnership similar to the one with Samsung that birthed the Gear VR.
While it could be an updated version of that device, it could also be a deeper collaboration with Microsoft, following the announcement at the start of E3 that Xbox One controllers would be shipped as standard with the Oculus Rift.
Theres also a slight chance that it could be some form of deal with Apple. Jeremy Burge, founder of Emojipedia, uncovered a new emoji in the iOS 9.1 developer preview that looks strikingly similar to Oculus old company logo.
Whatever the announcements are, well be keeping you up to date with all the major news from the conference.
15/09/2015: An Oculus Rift film has become the first VR title to win an Emmy award.
The winning entry was an installation based on Foxs hit TV show Sleepy Hollow, which allows users to explore the towns cemetery and interact with its characters.
First seen on the fan convention circuit, the piece won the 2015 Creative Arts Emmy Award for Outstanding Creative Achievement in Interactive Media in the field of User Experience And Visual Design. It"s available to download and try for anyone with an Oculus Rift DK2.
A Taylor Swift-themed VR experience also snagged a gong, with the AMEX Unstaged: Taylor Swift Experience picking up the award for Outstanding Creative Achievement In Interactive Media in the Original Interactive Programming category.
20/08/2015:The release date for the consumer version of the Oculus Rift is set to be unveiled at the company Oculus Connect2 developer conference in September.
The event, which runs from 23-25 September, is a forum in which "engineers, designers, and creatives from around the world come together to learn about the future of the Oculus platform and push virtual reality forward."
IT Pro spoke to an anonymous game developer that has been working closely on many VR platforms including Oculus Rift and is confident that the conference will see the announcement of a consumer launch date, as well as the opening of pre-orders.
Piper Jaffrey analyst Gene Muster has also suggested that this is a likely development, as it would allow Oculus to capitalise on the lucrative pre-Christmas sales period.
This would partly be to compete with the HTC Vive Steam VR headset, which is targeting a similar market and launches later this year. Oculus states that the Connect conference will include "everything developers need to know to launch on the Rift and Gear VR", which indicates that there will be some form of significant revelation.
14/07/2015:Oculus founder Palmer Luckey has taken to Reddit to refute claims that his company is using console tactics.
As part of the lead of the lead-up to the Oculus Rifts launch, 12 Rift-exclusive games have been funded by the company, in collaboration with third party developers.
This has been viewed by many as a sign that the platform will implement a closed ecosystem similar to those used by Sony and Microsoft.
One of console manufacturers biggest marketing ploy is to secure exclusive titles that only appear on their platform, in order to entice customers.
Many gamers see this as a restrictive and underhanded practice and took to the Glorious PC Gaming Master Race sub-Reddit in order to protest its use by Oculus.
However, the creator of the Oculus Rift himself, Palmer Luckey, stepped into the fray to defend his companys actions, denying that Oculus is using this method of forced exclusivity to drive adoption.
What we are doing is working with external devs to make VR games. These are games that have been 100 per cent funded by Oculus from the start, co-designed and co-developed by our own internal game dev teams," he said. "The majority of these games would not even exist were we not funding them, it is not like we just paid for exclusivity on existing games."
He cited the difficulties in getting VR content to market as a principal reason for not supporting other devices, explaining that VR support for multiple headsets is not as simple as "loading it". The store and launcher have to support each headset, and each game has to have the corresponding SDK built in.
It is not about locking other headsets out, it is about making games that target the best possible performance on our own hardware and software stack," Luckey added. "By necessity, that means deep integration and optimization around tech that only exists on our platform. Moving those games to other headsets is not trivial.
11/06/2015:Following a much-anticipated press event, the world has seen the finished Oculus Rift model for the first time. Due to a prior leak, the design of the device itself wasn"t a major surprise, aside from the fact that it"s now fully glasses-compatible. However, some startling announcements were made in addition to the main unveiling.
Upon its launch, the Oculus Rift will be fully compatible with Windows 10, without the need for additional development time.Secondly, in partnership with Microsoft, Oculus Rift can stream games directly from the Xbox One, and played via an Xbox One controller that will ship with the device.
Also shown off for the first time was "Oculus Touch". This prototype control system allegedly utilises positional tracking, haptic feedback and a series of ergonomically-placed buttons to allow users to interact with objects in VR space exactly how they would in real life.
Aside from consumer-facing features, Oculus revealed that the Unity 5 and Unreal 4 game creation engines will not only be compatible with Oculus Rift but also built-in as tools, to enable developers to better visualise their products.
The company also announced an accelerator fund for indie games developers totalling $10,000,000, to encourage smaller studios to get involved with VR content. The device"s content platform, Oculus Share, is also set for a reworking in the coming months.
Unfortunately, the event was noticeably light on hard information regarding the official specifications of the device, so there are still no concrete details regarding internal components or capabilities. We also have no confirmed price or release date aside from Q1 2016.
11/06/2015:The consumer version of Oculus Rift has been leaked ahead of an official publicity event tonight.
Images of theFacebook-owned virtual reality deviceappeared online before this evening"s San Francisco show, where it is thought that the Oculus Rifts release date, price and specifications will be confirmed.
The pictures were uncovered by enterprising VR fanexplogeek, who found them while digging around in the back-end of a new website Oculus set up for the event.
While the mistake now appears to be rectified, the leak has already been seized upon by fans eager for news of the upcoming product.
Though the company initially dismissed them as old placeholders, founder Palmer Luckey has since confirmed the veracity of the images, stating that the essential design elements are indeed accurate. Metadata has also allegedly proven the images to be as recent as 24 April.
One of the leaked files is a full product page for the Rift, which features, among many other things, a button along the top labelled Skyline. It is currently unclear what this refers to; it could be a software engine, or it could be some form of hardware peripheral. Well know more following the announcement later today.
The page also makes reference to [vrOS], which we believe to be Oculuss yet-to-be-named software platform. Oculus has yet to announce what form this potential OS will take, but there are indications that it will feature Windows 8.1-style content tiles.
Another interesting point to note is that the bottom of the product page also includes a link to pre-order the consumer version of the device. This would suggest that Oculus has all but finished the Rift"s development.
With just a few hours to go until the event, which will be live streamed on Oculuss website and Twitch channel, fans are anxiously awaiting the reveal they hope could kickstart VR in the consumer space.
IT Prowill be live blogging the event, as well as bringing you all the latest news on the Oculus Rifts release date, price and specifications.
