Facebook unveils Oculus Quest: A $399 VR system for games

(Image credit: Screenshot/YouTube/Oculus)

published 26 September 2018

If you've been waiting to explore the world of virtual reality, now may be the time.

Facebook on Wednesday announced the Oculus Quest, a new $399 VR system shipping in 2019, per The Verge. Like the Oculus Go, the system is standalone, meaning you won't need to connect it to an expensive computer in order for it to work, as is necessary with the Oculus Rift.

The head of Oculus VR notes that the Quest will be "made for games," The Verge reports, and it will be able to track movement up to 4,000 square feet. The wide berth will allow players to physically walk around in games in addition to looking up and down, with cameras placed on the device itself keeping tabs on the user's movements, TechCrunch reports. Other VR systems rely on external trackers placed around the room.

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Per Wired, the goal is for this new system to help bring VR more into the mainstream, with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg aiming to eventually attract 1 billion users. Oculus is also hoping the entertainment factor will entice consumers; the device will launch with more than 50 compatible games, including a new Star Wars VR experience called Vader Immortal. The system will launch sometime in spring 2019.

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Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.

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