Check out the long-awaited final edition of the VR headset

May 6, 2015 13:15 GMT  ·  By

After a long wait and plenty of speculation, Oculus has just revealed the highly anticipated consumer version of its Rift virtual reality headset, alongside a firm release period of the first quarter of 2016.

Oculus amazed millions of gamers with the first version of its Rift headset, which brought virtual reality in a pretty great package, and quickly racked up millions in terms of crowdfunding via Kickstarter.

After having unleashed not one but two different developer early versions of the headset, the startup was acquired by social media giant Facebook and started hiring even more experienced staff to help bring the long-awaited consumer version of the Rift to life.

The final Oculus Rift VR headset is coming in early 2016

Now, after we heard a few recent rumors, Oculus confirms on its website that the final version of the Rift has been nailed down in terms of design and will arrive in the first quarter of 2016.

The announcement also confirms that pre-orders for the highly anticipated devices are going to open up later this year so that fans can make sure they get it as soon as possible.

According to Oculus founder Palmer Luckey, the Rift encompasses not only a device but a full virtual reality ecosystem that allows for an optimum experience even for newcomers or less technically skilled users.

What's more, this final version of the device builds on the Crescent Bay prototype by improving the head tracking to allow for seated and standing users, but also comes with a better design and a more natural fit, as you can see in the new render images below.

"The Rift delivers on the dream of consumer VR with compelling content, a full ecosystem, and a fully-integrated hardware/software tech stack designed specifically for virtual reality. The Oculus Rift builds on the presence, immersion, and comfort of the Crescent Bay prototype with an improved tracking system that supports both seated and standing experiences, as well as a highly refined industrial design, and updated ergonomics for a more natural fit," he says.

More details about the hardware, software, and games that will be made for VR using the Rift are set to appear in the near future. The full tech specifications are already scheduled to surface next week.

Oculus Rift consumer version (2 Images)

The Oculus Rift consumer version
The inside of the Oculus Rift consumer version
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