Oculus Rift release date set for Q1 of next year

Oculus Rift, one of the most anticipated virtual reality headsets of the year is finally ready to become a consumer product. Although the now Facebook-owned Oculus had previously stated that Oculus Rift VR would be launched before the year comes to an end, that milestone seems to have been pushed further into the future. The Oculus Rift release date has now been confirmed to be the first quarter of 2014, which means that by April next year, we are going to have a consumer version of the VR headset on the market.

The Ocuslu Rift price has still not been disclosed officially, but rumors as well as market analysis of VR headsets result in an estimate of around $450 per unit for consumers. Since the Oculus Rift is one of the most advanced VR headsets next to the HTC/Valve Vive, people are expecting high-end, immersive experiences and a lot of games and apps and movies to choose form once the gadget goes on the market. Although the Oculus Rift development kits and test headsets have been around for a while for early adopters and developers, people have been looking forward to seeing the consumer version for a long time.

The company behind the virtual reality headset is confident that the Oculus Rift consumer version will change the way in which we look at gaming, communication and entertainment in general. With motion controls embedded in the headset, which will be compatible with PC computers as far as we know, the device will most definitely be a unique evolution in the industry. With Sony, HTC, Samsung and LG all working on their own virtual reality glasses, the Oculus Rift is going to have to stand up to all that competition. Since Facebook is backing the project, the gadget will most likely get the marketing and promotion that it deserves. After successful Kickstarter campaigns, the Oculus Rift became some sort of cult-device, so to speak, as more and more people took to Youtube and their blogs to explain how immersive the device truly is. It remains to be seen whether the consumer version of the Oculus Rift will be as impressive as development kits.

Microsoft is also planning the Microsoft HoloLens, which so far looks like the most wonderful augmented reality device one could imagine, and that might be a problem for the Oculus Rift in the long run. Moreover, Valve and HTC are confident that the HTC Vive headset will be out and about before the end of the year, which essentially means that the two companies will beat Oculus to the punch, releasing the first consumer version of a high-end virtual reality headset first. Although an exact Oculus Rift release date was not disclosed, insiders have speculated that the launch would not happen later than February, which would be fitting.