Virtual reality gaming is coming back! And this time around, it’s not going to be held back by the limited technology of the ’80s. The Oculus Rift is the most ambitious VR headset yet, with immersive 3D and advanced head-tracking technology that actually has a chance at mass market appeal. After collecting over $2.4 million in Kickstarter funding and catching the attention of tons of big-name game developers such as id Software’s John Carmack, Valve’s Gabe Newell, Epic’s Cliff Blezinksi as well as executives from Gaikai and Unity, the Oculus Rift Developer Kit is finally up for preorder.
The Oculus Rift is so fascinating because it has a 110-degree field of view, low-latency head-tracking and it weighs less than half a pound. It features DVI/HDMI and USB ports, six-degree head tracking and a 1280×800 resolution (640×800 per eye). Developers and members of the press who have played with the Oculus Rift have all praised it for being a rich and immersive experience unlike anything before it. It reportedly feels like you’re actually inside of the game.
Preorders for a Rift Developer Kit are $300 for U.S. customers and $350 for international customers. Oculus Rift dev kits should arrive by January 2013. Please keep in mind this is a developers kit and the actual consumer-ready product will look and possibly function very differently when it’s released.
A video demonstration of the Oculus Rift in action follows below.
