We saw the first Rift hand-delivered this weekend by Palmer Luckey himself all the way in Alaska and we should start to see deliveries trickle in throughout the week.
Although many were disappointed that they didn’t get to unbox their Rift over the weekend after CEO Brendan Iribe and Founder Palmer Luckey teased midweek that units were out for delivery, this week is the week for those who pre-ordered early. Kickstarter backers are the ones who will be receiving units today and the first pre-ordered Rifts will start shipping mid-week and arrive shortly after.
Either way, Rift deliveries begin today, shipping to more than 20 countries and regions. This is a very historic and exciting day for all of us who have been following virtual reality for years now. So what other updates did Oculus provide today for launch day?
30+ VR Games and New Content
There is a solid line-up of more than 30 games available on the Oculus Store today (ranging from $9.99 to $59.99). Much like what we are familiar with on the Gear VR, Oculus Home lets you browse and purchase titles, view your content library, and find friends that are online. You can view the full list of games that are available at launch here.
The launch games for Oculus rely entirely on the Xbox One controller, with a few having been adapted to use with the Oculus Remote that is included. There is something for everyone to enjoy.
Video for Rift
Oculus Video for Rift launches today as well with thousands of Facebook 360 videos and the best of Vimeo and Twitch livestreams. Oculus has also stated they will be adding feature-length movies and additional content to Oculus Video very soon.
You’ll be able to choose from several standalone experiences, including Jaunt VR, which features hundreds of cinematic stories. You’ll also be able to step into Henry and Lost, the first two real-time animated films from Oculus Story Studio, free for a limited time on the Oculus Store.
Oculus Dreamdeck
This is a unique experience that will help you get introduced to the world of virtual reality. After setting up and configuring your Rift headset, you’ll start off in the Oculus Dreamdeck where you can tour a set of VR vignettes. It’s a perfect way to show the power of VR to first-time users and hints at what adventures you’re about to have in the Rift.
Farlands
This tiny alien VR experience created by Oculus was revealed today and is available right now for users. Farlands lets players visit a vibrant, otherworldly planet, teeming with exotic life. Explore fantastic landscapes; discover bugs, fish, and plant-life; and build relationships with the alien creatures – all in real time. Each day brings you a new opportunity to discover creatures and explore their habitats. You can view the trailer below.
This is going to be a great week for VR and we can’t wait to see everyone’s reaction to getting their Rift setup and going. Even though the Rift is missing a huge component, that is a motion input controller called Touch (shipping second half of 2016), Oculus Rift arrival week will keep us from ever leaving the house.
Are you getting your Rift this week? Tweet us a picture and let us know!
