Oculus Rift VR headset pre-orders start later this year, shipping in Q1 2016

Nearly three years after Oculus took to Kickstarter to fund its first virtual reality kit, the Facebook-owned company is finally getting ready to sell its VR products to the general public. Oculus has just announced that pre-orders for the Oculus Rift will begin sometime later this year, with orders shipping out to consumers sometime in Q1 2016.

In the announcement post, Oculus wasn’t exactly clear as to whether or not users will need to use a separate device to power the Rift. It’s entirely possible that the Rift will require some other power source that plugs into the headset, similar to Samsung’s Gear VR headset, which requires either a Galaxy Note 4, S6 or S6 Edge to run. There is mention of a “fully-integrated hardware/software tech stack designed specifically for virtual reality” in the announcement, though details aren’t exactly clear at the moment. The company says it will reveal hardware, software, input and gaming information in the weeks to come, so we’ll have to wait to find out for sure.

As for what users will experience with the headset, Oculus explains:

The Oculus Rift builds on the presence, immersion, and comfort of the Crescent Bay prototype with an improved tracking system that supports both seated and standing experiences, as well as a highly refined industrial design, and updated ergonomics for a more natural fit.

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If you’re a developer who would like to build your own virtual reality applications for the Rift, head on over to the Oculus Developer Center for more information.