Oculus had quite a few launches and announcements at yesterday’s Connect event. Here’s a quick rundown of what they are.
Touch
Oculus will open pre-orders for Touch starting the 10th of October 2016 for US$199, with shipping expected on the 6th of December. Pre-ordering entitles you do a copy of VR Sports Challenge and The Unspoken. Touch comes with an additional sensor and a connector for Rock Band VR. If you pre-ordered and purchased Rift through Oculus.com, you’ve already reserved your place in line for Touch pre-orders. Simply order by October 27 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time using the same email address or from your Oculus account to claim your priority status.
They’ve also created a room-scale option with Touch, using a third sensor for those with enough space. Extra sensors will be available for purchase for US$79 on Oculus.com at Touch launch.
The Touch launch lineup has over 35 titles spanning multiple genres.
New Touch titles coming to Rift next year, include:
Arktika.1 from 4A Games — Battle for survival in this shooter set in a frozen dystopian future.
Lone Echo from Ready at Dawn — A high-fidelity, pulse-pounding space saga.
Robo Recall from Epic Games — Take down waves of robots gone rogue in this FPS with creative combat tactics.
Santa Cruz Prototype
Oculus also unveiled the Santa Cruz, a Standalone feature prototype that demonstrates inside-out-tracking.
Expanding mobile ecosystem
With over 400 apps available for Gear VR and many more on the way, mobile VR is an incredibly vibrant part of the broader ecosystem. They’ve also announced several additions to their Mobile SDK, making it easier than ever for developers to bring their titles to Gear VR.
You can also start a Facebook Live broadcast from any Gear VR app using the Universal Menu. Share your VR experiences in real time, and see how many of your friends tuned in.
Personalised play: Oculus Avatars
Yet another announcement was Oculus Avatars, a platform feature that lets you customise your VR identity for more memorable interactions. With more than one billion permutations available—from unique textures to clothing, accessories, and more—you can build something that truly represents your own style. Avatars will be available for Rift at Touch launch and for mobile in early 2017.
Join your friends in VR with Oculus Parties and Rooms
Part of VR’s magic lies in the ability to share and experience games and experiences with someone who isn’t physically there.
Oculus Parties lets you start a voice call with up to eight people from anywhere in VR. Just access the Home or Universal Menu, and with a few taps you’re connected and can swap stories from your VR exploits.
Oculus Rooms allows you to instantly meet up with your friends in VR to hang out, watch movies, or launch the same app simultaneously to explore the ecosystem together.
Both Parties and Rooms will ship for Gear VR in the coming weeks, with the Rift launch scheduled for early 2017.
