Facebook's Oculus Virtual Reality headset to cost just $200 - and could be on sale next year
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Oculus Rift, the virtual reality firm recently bought by Facebook for $2bn, is set to release its first consumer headset next year - and it has been revealed it could cost as little as $200.
The gadget is expected to be used primarily for gaming - although Mark Zuckerberg claims its will 'change the way we communicate'
The 21 year old co-founder of the firm promised the headset is 'going to be as cheap as possible.'
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This concept by Carlos Pendas gives a glimpse as to what The final consumer version of the Oculus Rift headset could look like. The firm's co-founder claims it could cost as little as $200.
Spot the difference: The current prototype of the Oculus Rift
IS IT ANY GOOD?
MailOnline has been using the latest version of the headset, the $350 DK2 version aimed at developers wanting to write VR apps.
At first we were skeptical - the headset looks bulky, although it is surprisingly light when attached via straps.
However, once you are immersed in a virtual world, doubts were quickly forgotten.
The technology, still just a developer's version, is breathtakingly good.
While the resolution still doesn't give the feeling of quite being in the real world, it does make you think you are actually in a virtual world.
The number of demos and games is already growing by the day, and feature everything from virtual rollercoaster rides to being lost in space, all made more immersive with head tracking meaning the images moved perfectly as your head moves.
It's not quite ready for primetime yet, but is almost there - and the Oculus Rift headset finally delivers on the long awaited promise of virtual reality.
The Oculus Rift consumer model, which does not have a release date yet, will be offered for around $200-$400, according to Oculus VR co-founder Nate Mitchell.
Speaking with Eurogamer, Mitchell revealed the estimated price range, but cautioned that nothing is set in stone.
'That could slide in either direction depending on scale, preorders, the components we end up using, [or] business negotiations,' he said.
Previously, Oculus VR said it was aiming to launch the consumer model for around $300.
The firm also revealed yesterday it has been working with Samsung on a mobile version of the headset, which will go on sale this year, but will not feature the advanced head tracking or high resolution display the Oculus version is expected to have.
Facebook said on March 25 that it planned to buy Oculus for $2 billion in its first-ever hardware deal.
Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg said at the time that the proposed transaction reflected his company's desire to bet on 'the platforms of tomorrow'.
'It's different from anything I've every experienced in my life.'
The firm is among the most advanced in the VR field, and recently began taking orders for the latest version of its $350 developers version.
The concept is designed around 3 main features: a curved screen, integrated headphones and a gesture recognition system.
The headset will plug into a laptop computer to transport wearer's to a virtual world
'Oculus has the chance to create the most social platform ever, and change the way we work, play and communicate,' said Zuckerberg.
'Immersive gaming will be the first, and Oculus already has big plans here that won't be changing and we hope to accelerate.
'The Rift is highly anticipated by the gaming community, and there's a lot of interest from developers in building for this platform.
'We're going to focus on helping Oculus build out their product and develop partnerships to support more games.
'Imagine enjoying a court side seat at a game, studying in a classroom of students and teachers all over the world or consulting with a doctor face-to-face - just by putting on goggles in your home.'
'I wanted to go a year or two into the future and imagine the Oculus Rift for everyone, the one that would do for peripherals what the iPhone did for smartphones, and constraint my design to something that could be technically feasible,' said Carlos Pendas, the Mexican designer who created the concept pictures above which show what a final product could look like.
THE FIRM FOUNDED BY A 15 YEAR OLD
Palmer Luckey of Oculus
21-year-old Palmer Luckey began Oculus when he was just 15, working on prototypes in his parent's garage.
He started developing his own head-mounted VR displays when he was still in high school, and was in college when he created the first prototype of a consumer-priced VR headset called the Oculus Rift - although he eventually left to work on the project full time.
MailOnline met Luckey at the CES show in Las Vegas, where he showed an incredible amount of enthusiasm for the product.
He said he believed the technology's time had come.
The firm originally turned to Kickstarter to raise money, but has since raised funds from investors across silicon Valley - until it was today bought by Facebook for $2bn.
'I completely drifted away form the aggressive shapes normally found in gaming hardware.
'The consumer Rift needs to be subtle and friendly, it doesn't need ornaments to stand out.
'It is a transformative and disruptive technology, that enables the world to experience the impossible, and it's only just the beginning.'
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