Up close with the Oculus Rift VR headset and the Oculus Touch motion controller (photo gallery)

SAN FRANCISCO — Palmer Luckey stood in the middle of a ring of rabid photographers today, showing off the Oculus Rift virtual reality headset and the Oculus Touch motion-controller system that goes with it.

The Oculus VR founder posed for pictures and answered questions about how the system will work. Then he put it down and walked away. I was tempted to snatch the Rift, as it was the first time that Oculus showed off the final consumer version of its headset, which will ship in early 2016. But I would never have made it to the door.

I snapped pictures instead and took close-ups of both the headset and the Oculus Touch devices, which enable you to use your hands to navigate through a virtual space.

Check out our photos from the Oculus event below.