Oculus Rift Release Date Set for 2016

There was much speculation about the upcoming announcements regarding the Oculus Rift, mostly regarding the release date and the much anticipated peripherals Oculus has been quietly developing.

As was widely speculated amongst the development community, the Rift is set to be launched in the first quarter of 2016.

Something which wasn’t speculated, was the inclusion of a Microsoft XBox controller with the consumer release. This may seem like a short-sighted move which lacks innovation, but the standard XBox controller has proved itself to be easy to use right off the bat and it’s also widely supported.

Perhaps the biggest treat for those watching today’s announcement was the new ‘Oculus Touch’ controllers, which Oculus hopes will transport the player’s hands into the virtual world, allowing you to pick up and shoot guns, wield swords and gesture to your friends.

The new ‘Oculus Home’ 3d interface, which bears some resemblance to the XBox home page, is visually striking and will allow you to jump between games and experiences without having to remove your Rift first.
The inclusion of immersive demo scenes as you browse games really feels like a next-gen development.

Just like anyone who owns (or has even experienced) a development kit version of the Oculus Rift, I can’t wait until release date. I’m not one to line up on launch day to queue for new technology, but this genuinely feels like history in the making, like the advent of the first ever computer. I’m hooked.