Oculus Go has landed in more than 300 retail stores across Canada and Europe at £199, or €219. This makes the standalone virtual reality (VR) headset from the Facebook-owned company available on a global level via brick-and-mortar locations and not just the firm’s own online storefront.
Announced back in October, Oculus Go is manufactured by Xiaomi, with the main selling points being its portability and an affordable price of $199. Unlike Samsung’s Gear VR, Oculus Go does not require users to slot in a smartphone to enjoy VR experiences. Nor does it need to be tethered to a computer like the higher-end Oculus Rift or HTC’s Vive lineup of headgear. The all-in-one VR headset offers direct access to VR content through the Oculus ecosystem and without the need for any additional hardware. To sweeten the deal, the VR firm just announced the launch of Oculus TV for the mid-range VR headset, offering Oculus Go users a virtual home theater where they can watch live and on-demand TV content in VR. Oculus TV is now available for download on compatible devices from the Oculus store, and the company has confirmed all new Oculus Go units purchased will ship with the content app pre-installed.
While one of the benefits of Oculus Go is its low price compared to the Oculus Rift, this standalone VR headset sacrifices some of the more premium features found in higher-end units such as eye tracking. Nonetheless, the headset provides a full VR experience and is built using breathable fabrics and adjustable straps along with the company’s “best lenses yet.” It also includes access to some more advanced solutions like integrated spatial audio and ships with its own controller. The Snapdragon 821-powered headset officially went on sale last month. Oculus Go is Facebook’s first mobile VR hardware, though the firm also delivered the platform running on Samsung’s Gear VR headsets. Users will be able to access thousands of apps and games through the Oculus Go, with more content expected to be added on a regular basis moving forward.