After remaining a mystery for quite some time, Oculus VR has finally confirmed the price point for the consumer model of the Oculus Rift headset. Coming in at $600, the long awaited headset's price point has us all wondering: is this something that gamers or normal consumers would be willing to spend this much money on? Our editors have their own opinions on the matter and have weighed in on the question in the responses below.
But what are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments!
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Can a $600 Oculus Rift Succeed?
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While I'm put off at the moment, I am not resigning my excitement for VR, because I don't think its--or Oculus'--longterm survival depends on Rift attaining mainstream success right out of the gate. Rift, and VR hardware in general, will become more affordable over time, and the games will improve as developers grow more familiar with the medium's constraints. For now, think of this version of Rift as a power-play for Oculus and Facebook; the sooner it gets to market, the sooner it's adopted by developers and users, however few. Any amount of market share is invaluable this early on, and will pay-off handsomely down the road for everyone involved when costs plummet.
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GS News Update: Oculus Rift Price Revealed as Pre-Orders Begin
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Tech is always expensive at first: Samsung's BD-P1000 blu-ray player cost $999.99 when it debuted in 2006. Now, a decade later, there are numerous Blu-Ray players priced below $100. A time will come when the average consumer can afford a high-end VR headset--we just need to wait a little longer. For now, Samsung's Gear VR headset (a product of its partnership with Oculus) is an excellent first-step into VR that's affordable at $200, and even though it's not the best-of-the-best, it still provides a bevy of great experiences. Even if I can't buy a Rift this year, I'm excited that Oculus has got the ball rolling, and can't wait to see how Sony and HTC react. My guess? PlayStation VR will be the cheapest option, but Oculus and HTC will find greater success given the number of VR games coming to PC, headset prices be damned.
So in terms of crude arithmetic, $600 is entirely understandable if Oculus VR and Facebook eventually want to make a business out of selling VR hardware. The problem is that from most customers' point of view, $600 is not an understandable price. I'd say it’s a reasonable budget for a new PC, but certainly too high for a console, and borderline ludicrous for a peripheral.
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The price will certainly calm down over time (I assume right now it's immensely difficult to create efficient production lines on a completely new device), but I doubt Oculus Rift will be affordable enough to break into the mainstream for a least three or four years, if that.
Sony, of course, has a business plan where it can afford to make much bigger losses on hardware, and a games platform it can leverage to generate profit. I find it ironic that, for the virtual reality industry to remain relevant and in the minds of gamers, Oculus needs Sony to significantly undercut its price.
But $600 is too much. It reminds me of the PS3's initial price point in 2006--not obscenely high, but just high enough to deter me from making the purchase at launch. Even as someone whose job revolves around video games, I'm not ready to make that expensive leap. VR's main obstacle is public awareness, and without a manageable price point, I can't imagine the wider public jumping at the gun to grab headsets, and start building their VR game libraries as we wade into 2016. I think VR is here to stay. By the end of 2017, I hope it's a contender in the living room platform lineup. But I don't think a $600 launch price is a good start. Here's hoping the future brings better things for those of us who want VR to flourish.
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Oculus Rift: Seeing is Believing
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From here, it's anybody's game. Sony, Microsoft, Valve, they all have to come in with a price point below $600 to win. They were all afraid to announce first, and Oculus lost this round.
What do you think of the announced price for Oculus Rift? Will you be buying one, or are you waiting until the price drops? Sound off in the comments below!