Oculus Go, the company’s upcoming standalone VR headset, may already be waiting in the wings at Amazon distribution centers—they’re certainly already on Best Buy shelves, as both retailers are gearing up for what appears to be an imminent launch.
The $200 standalone headset, which doesn’t require a separate phone or computer to run, just got a pre-order listing on Amazon. The page advertises a release date of December 31st, 2018, although considering Oculus maintains the headset is “arriving early 2018,” it’s very likely a placeholder date.
Lending more credence to a nearby launch, Reddit user ‘theDarthonly’ revealed an image featuring a loaded glass case (behind lock and key) of Oculus Go boxes at a Best Buy at his hometown of Fayetteville, Arkansas. Speaking to staff, he was told the shelf featured both a 32 GB and a 64 GB model, something that’s been confirmed to exist thanks to FCC listings.
Oculus Go is gunning for an accessible entry point for VR newcomers at only $200. The headset, which uses what Oculus calls a “fast-switch LCD” at 2560×1440, will have the same basic functionality and apps as Gear VR, although it won’t require a comparatively expensive flagship Samsung smartphone thanks to its all-inclusive standalone design. Since Oculus Go shares the same mobile app store as Gear VR, the company is boasting over 1,000 apps at launch.
Fortuitously, Facebook’s annual F8 developer conference starts today, making for a fitting venue for launch. Multiple sources have purportedly confirmed that launch would come at F8, so it’s really only a matter of hours to prove that hypothesis right or wrong. We have feet on the ground at this year’s F8, which takes place May 1-2, so check back soon.
