During today’s Oculus Connect event, Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg announced a slew of VR-themed news that any Rift and virtual reality fans will want to hear. First and most importantly, there is a brand new VR headset coming next year called the Oculus Go.
If the name doesn’t give it away, it is primarily for on-the-go mobile devices like your smartphone. A clear competitor to the Samsung Gear VR, the Oculus Go has features that make it much more consumer-friendly than its rival. It features a sleek, comfortable design that most notably does not require a phone inside to operate.
Unlike the Samsung Gear VR that requires you to have your phone slotted directly into the VR headset, the Oculus Go does not force you to do that, eliminating unnecessary clutter and weight. Details haven’t been given on the specifics behind how it works, whether it uses Internet or Bluetooth to connect with your phone, but it promises a streamlined mobile VR experience.
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The Go will be sold at retail for the competitive price of $199. In direct response to the Gear VR, Mark Zuckerberg added that all current Gear VR titles will be compatible with the Go at its launch early next year. No specific release date was given for it, but developer kits will begin shipping next month.
In addition to that, there was a price drop announced for the original Oculus Rift. The VR headset has had its price dropped permanently to $399. This is for the bundle that includes both the headset itself and Touch controllers.
Originally at launch, the same Oculus Rift bundle was priced at $599 before temporarily going on sale earlier this summer for that same price drop of $399. It is now permanent, though, and the bundle will reflect the $200 price drop starting today at stores everywhere.
