Oculus Unveils New Controllers and Microsoft Partnership

Published: June 11, 2015 5:24 PM /

By:


Oculus Touch

Oculus has kicked off E3 season early with a press conference announcing their VR control solution as well as a few details surrounding its launch. It will be available to buy in stores in early 2016, although the price remains a mystery. Out of the box, you'll get the redesigned headset, a sensor for your desk to track your head movement, as well as an Xbox One controller for use with more traditional games out of the box.

The Xbox One controller isn't accidental, it instead represents the first step in a partnership between Microsoft and Oculus to counter Sony's Project Morpheus. In addition to the bundled gamepad, Oculus will have out of the box compatibility with Windows 10 as well as a theater mode with which to stream Xbox One games directly into the headset. That last bit is admittedly more of a novelty than anything, but having the device be plug and play will help its mainstream appeal immensely.

However, there will definitely be some games that will require a bit more finesse. The true opportunities in VR come from using your hands in the virtual world. This is where Oculus Touch comes in. The two Wii Nunchuck-like controllers each feature two triggers, two buttons and a joystick. They also have a ring-shaped sensor that can detect certain actions you make with your hands, allowing pointing and waving among other motions.

With the lack of a price announcement and a solid release date, the chances for Oculus at retail are still a bit of a mystery. It's clear that one of these devices is going to take off, and Oculus has the most name recognition among those in the know. It will be interesting to see if any of their announced exclusive games become must have system sellers.

What are your thoughts on the Oculus Rift and VR in general? Why are game developers making 3rd person games for the Rift? Will Nintendo make a follow-up to any Virtual Boy classics? Answer these questions and more in the comments below!

Have a tip, or want to point out something we missed? Leave a Comment or e-mail us at tips@techraptor.net


Alex Santa Maria TechRaptor
| Staff Writer

Alex Santa Maria is TechRaptor's former Reviews Editor (2015-2020) and current occasional critic. Joining the site early in its life, Alex grew the review… More about Alex