The Rift isn’t for everyone … but can it hit the mass market?
Some of Oculus’ spokespeople told me that the experience is not for all audiences partly due to the limitations of the technology and individual players’ constraints. For the best experience, people should use headphones, not wear glasses, and have the same level of vision in both eyes. The Rift is also, at least for the time being, exclusive to PC gaming.
Furthermore, the developer hardware itself costs $300 (or $275 unassembled), which includes the free software development kit and lower-end equipment than what will ultimately release to consumers. Suffice it to say, individual consumers interested in such a gaming experience will have to pay about as much as a mid-range videocard ($200 to $300).
All of these factors, especially with the uncertainty of how potential buyers will react to playing with the Rift for short and long periods of time, leaves the industry with a lot of questions about the technology. Yet at the same time, with the success of the Kickstarter campaign and nearly 7,500 units shipping to backers as early as November, game developers are clearly excited about the technology. We’ll likely see some form of the Rift in arcades. And Oculus spokespeople did hint that several major retailers have approached the company, but they have not discussed a final product for public release.
I believe the Rift is the future of gaming, and it can help drive the future of PC and console games, especially considering Microsoft and Sony’s still unconfirmed next-generation consoles. In an industry that is in incredible flux, a strong push with technology as intuitive as the Rift is exactly the kick that game developers, publishers, and even players themselves need. I don’t know whether Oculus will ever reach critical mass with the Rift, but I can say with certainty that this is the direction for gaming and virtual reality. And with the tools heading to developers in just a few short months, it is possible that we are on the verge of a new gaming renaissance.