If you were holding off on getting a high-end VR headset because of pricing, Oculus just made the hit on your wallet a bit lighter, with a significant price drop on both the Rift headset and Touch controllers.
Starting today, the Oculus Rift headset now costs US$499 (down from $599) and the Touch motion controls are now $99 (from $199). A bundle that includes both is now $598. The new pricing is reflected on Oculus' website, as well as Amazon and Best Buy.
Additionally, a third Oculus sensor (required for 360° tracking) drops to $59 from $79.
Based on this week's demos of upcoming Rift content, the Touch controls and third sensor are set to become more essential than they already were. The best upcoming games, which look to provide more depth than we saw in 2016's first wave of VR games, require the hand-presence motion controls and take greater advantage of 360° gameplay. The new pricing makes these pieces more attainable additions to your system.
Of course you need a VR-ready PC to go with the Rift, and that's still likely to add at least $600-700 to your total price. In October, Oculus announced that partners would be offering PCs starting at $500 that used the new Asynchronous Spacewarp tech (which simulates missing frames to allow for cheaper graphics cards), but those don't appear to be on sale yet.
Flagship Oculus Touch title Robo Recall, a frenetically-paced and highly physical arcade shooter, is also available today as a free download for Rift/Touch owners. You can read our full review.
If you're still on the fence about the Rift, we think it's the best high-end VR system you can buy.
Source: Oculus
