Palmer Luckey: Oculus Rift's $599 Price "Obscenely Cheap;"Not inflating European Price Like Consoles

Today Oculus VR announced the price of the Oculus Rift, retailing at $599 in the US and €699 in Europe. Many did not react too kindly to the price tag, and Oculus VR founder Palmer Luckey took to Twitter to defend it.

[Relientk77]

If it's so cheap Palmer you can buy me one.

[DemonChicken]

I take whatever Palmer is having.

Apparently £499 (before shipping) add shipping and add import VAT (20%) add Custom Import Clearance Fee = is not cheap. So much for not inflated $599 does not equal £499

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/t...

We aren't rolling in dough from facebook like you Palmer

[Information Minister]

Yeah, I surely would like to know in which alternate reality $599 is equivalent to €699. Furthermore a GTX970 still goes for around €350, so you'll spend over €1000 just to get the bare minimum quality experience, and I'm not even factoring in the rest of the PC! That's too rich for my blood.

[Exari]

isnt this exactly what kutaragi said about ps3 price?

[MaxKingoftheWild]

Exari, I don't know what point you're trying to make because I'm unsure what a full blown console, that had to have parts removed in order to cut costs, that was supported for 10 years has to do with the high price, especially for European users, of a PC peripheral

[mudakoshaka]

For the rest of the EU...699 euros! That's insane! Why not put it at 599€? They are saying that they are taking the US sales tax in the US. But the sales tax will not be more than 10%. So at the most, 660 dollars. While in EU...699€, that comes to around 750 USD. What a ripoff! And that is without shipping!

[NewMonday]

for the high end PC people who annually buy $600 GPU cards it is cheap

but they are a small share of the market.

[Genuine-User]

@Mudakoshaka

Yeah it shouldn't cost more than €610. They are quite obviously inflating the European prices.

[bouzebbal]

wow we are "luckey" it only costs 600 bucks.
smh -_- What we shouldn't be hearing..

[SolidStoner]

So it cost like a new TV basically..

I say wait and see.. This far Im better with 50 inch screen, but I would love to buy PS VR at some point, when the price is right for my wallet.

I think those of you who have the money should get it right away, I tried Oculus Rift on PC at friends house, and if this PS VR is same or better and with our good looking modern console games, it will be a blast! Racing and horror games will reborn in VR!

[RumbleFish]

Why should europeans pay 25% more? This is insane!

I wasn't buing it anyway since it was bought by FB!

I'm glad I didn't buy the DK before FB bought it.

[Griever]

I agree that it is expensive when you look at it from a consumer's point of view; they are to expensive for me to afford. However, one has to consider how much they cost to manufacture. I do not think a VR headset is cheap to manufacture with their processor, HD displays, motion sensors and other hi-tech components. Prices are according to how much the product costs to manufacture.

Companies try their best to offer the best price possible because they dont want their product to fail. The first PS3 models were sold for $600 which sounded extremely expensive to customers but they cost $800 to make. They were taking $200 loss on each PS3 to make people happy. It was the best they could do. People need to be reasonable in theri demands. We cannot ask for the best and pay nothing or minimal in return.

[BallsEye]

Exactly. What the F Palmer! 700 euro vs 600 dollars...not to mention that euro is actually more expensive...@#&!@^#!@

[AndrewLB]

The price in Euros includes a 20% VAT as well as Duty fees. A $600 device instantly becomes $720 from just the VAT, not including duties, etc.

If Europeans are angry, it should be at their socialist governments they put in power.

@rumblefish @ballseye

Do you know how to read? Or know anything about importing goods to Europe? European Union requires all prices include their 20% value added tax (VAT) as well as duties/fees. All the addional cost Europeans pay is due to their governments, not Oculus.

[Bdub2000]

I agree, it's a lot of product for $600 with all things considered.

But that doesn't make it "cheap", and Luckey forgot one thing, his product is going to LIVE, or DIE on gamer OPINION alone. If your target audience isn't interested because of the price, then it's "too expensive" and it already failed.

It hurts, but unless this tech can survive the initial launch and offer a price that gamers will jump on soon, I don't know what will happen.

[nX]

This guy has become completely delusional, probably what dat facebook money does to you.

[xer0]

The price of those Oculus ready PCs aren't cheap either.
This is not a mass consumer item by any means.

[madjedi]

Give it about 5 years, I was not thinking ps3 expensive but neither did I think it would be cheap.

Let the early adopters bear the initial burden of moving the technology forward to a more mainstream marketplace.

Anyone who thought vr was going to be targeted at the mainstream consumer at launch was kidding themselves.

Even sony's will be targeted at the "hardcore" console gamers, the guys and girls that buy many games per year.

Juat like when hdtv's first arrived they cost 15-16k, now they are cheap.

The average joe will probably need to wait till we hit the 3 or 5th gen consumer version of rift/psvr before it's reasonably priced.

[darx]

No need to worry about mainstream. VR will never go mainstream.

[madjedi]

There is a saying about using absolutes like always and never.

Especially odd considering how tech obsessed we as a species, in the 1st world/higher disposable income society.

[MaxKingoftheWild]

Madjedi, anyone who thought this was targeting main stream? So, anyone who reads/listens to NPR (had an article about VR going mainstream) or followed OR development were kidding themselves. Got it.

[UltraNova]

@madjedi

Although I generally agree with your comment (the part I dont is about VR targeted for mainstream, its actually aimed at the Hardcore crowd in an effort to break free of the niche market.),I have to ask you a question that all gamers should ask themselves. What would happen if most of us waited for the 3rd-5th VR gens?

My answer is, nothing. If most of us wait and not help drive adoption VR will be dead and gone by then.

Now as for the price; even though I understand the costs behind proprietary high quality hardware development, 600 is very steep.

The asking price is absurdly high for the the average Joe to even consider spending close to $2000 for a VR ready PC or shell out 1200 for the Rift and a 600 dollar GPU(980ti/fury), cause lets be honest here a GTX 970 wont cut it from 2017, hell I'm not sure it can handle 2016's AAAs at decent fps/quality settings let alone VR and be able to handle those fps in a couple of years from now.

I know I'm kinda contradicting myself here, but hear me out, I would love to see VR succeed, I really do and I will support it as best I can but for better or for worse I will be on PSVR which will be significantly cheaper to adopt so it will be easier for me and many others. But in order for VR as whole to succeed, we must back all fronts, including Occulus and HTC.

[crazyclown]

This is Sony. They know how to market and price a product. Look at the PS4, they priced it below One and it killed it. They will do the same with PSVR.

[garrettbobbyferguson]

@Crazyclown

Are you not capable of understanding that the headset itself PLUS an extra unit capable of making that headset even run at minimum specs on the PS4 will cost a pretty penny. Do you honestly think that Sony will be able to price that cheap without making severe losses?

[madjedi]

@max and exactly how well did the ps3 sell to mainstream gamers at $599 Vs 3-4 years later.

So people thought a addon luxury device on top of a another luxury item, would be affordable for the average casual gamer that only cares about the newest competitive fps gamer he and his buddys play.

Okay got it. P.t. Barnum would be proud.

It wasn't targeting the mainstream gamer at launch either, that is around the 200-300 dollar mark.

Look at the specs to run it on pc, they are not exactly low end.

This currently is targeted to day console buyers or the guys that can afford 960+ imo.

@ultranova I think the first year will be low/moderate sales.

I also think if the industry was smart rift would attack the high end of the market and sony going after the low-mid end.

They got to get the price down $600 is way too much for a addon accessory for the average gamer.

I would also like to see vr try to make inroads/sell at larger arcades such as dave and busters ect, to both reach another potential customer base and get the public exposed to vr.

Console/pc gaming is not the only industry where vr can used in.

Clearly not everyone will wait 5 years to buy it, but they need 2 thing appealing games and a more wallet friendly price tag like about $400.

Although if it can't succeed now as the industry at the largest state it has ever been it might not make it.

[Muzikguy]

"People will want to get a 2nd job just to buy one"

[SojournUK]

"Most people will need to get a 2nd job to buy one"

[SaveMeJebus]

Yeah Palmer, insert other foot into mouth now.

[Imp0ssibl3]

He's so full of crap. For Europe it's actually 740 euros, I can buy a full gaming PC with this money.

Oculus will fail.

[Apollosupreme]

If it's such a great deal then clearly the tech is not ready for the market. As tech evolves it becomes cheaper to manufacture and so this one should be put back to bed. The market will not adopt at this price.

Further, gamers shouldn't be offended by the price but they should be disappointed because this was hyped so much.

[3-4-5]

* All this VR stuff as it is needs to happen how it's happening if we are to get to where we need to be with VR.

* 10 years from now VR is going to be awesome, but it's not there yet.

* 10 years from now there will be $200 VR sets that are more powerful then the best gaming computers right now and it will actually then be amazing.

* I'm personally not buying into VR as it is right now. It's not something I need in my life or really want yet, but I'm glad they are taking the steps needed to get it to the place it needs to get to in order to be mass marketed and sold to every gamer at a reasonable price.

[DarkOcelet]

Cheap to whom exactly? This is not cheap at all.

[Relientk77]

To millionaires and celebs, but not most people.

[u4one]

Having used on already, I don't think it's priced horribly. I initially thought it would be $1000 or more.

[mp1289]

Google Cardboard works the same way and its about $5.

[ravinash]

"Google Cardboard works the same way and its about $5."

Yes, but it's really just a bit of cardboard, so you really can't compare.

[madjedi]

Not sure if it is a translation error or piss poor attempt at humor.

[starchild]

I don't have a large income and this still doesn't seem exorbitantly expensive at all. Slightly higher than I was expecting, but not unaffordably so.

I already have a PC to run it. It costs about the same as a good monitor. Not unreasonable by any means.

[yomfweeee]

99% of people probably have a $100-$200 monitor.

[carcarias]

I see what you mean but at the same time, no one HAS to buy a $600 monitor just to play.

I know Luckey doesn't want to 'dilute' the experience but if there were a lesser priced VR set that could play on a lesser PC then people wouldn't feel like they've had the door slammed in their face after all these years of hype.

It's just a big disappointment for most people and it could have been avoided if they'd been more up front about it all.

[Si-Fly]

I've got three Gsync monitors for Sim Racing, the CV1 seems like a bloody bargain to me :)

[jivah]

I hope you have a cheapo nokia or motorola phone then. and a low tier internet connection as well.

[DarkOcelet]

You hope? WTF LOL?

[jivah]

@ DarkOcelot Yes. Exactly that. I see people complaining about expensive consoles which come once every so often. As opposed to every year when they're shelling out 600+ on a new phone

[DillyDilly]

This price is nuts. Sony is gonna have 2 no doubt sell at a loss here. They are stupid if they think otherwise

[ginsunuva]

Cheap is relative. You can't say something is or isn't cheap. It might be for you, but it's not an objective fact

[amnalehu]

Cheap to Palmer.

[Lamboomington]

"Obscenely cheap FOR WHAT IT IS"

it's a good deal, given the hardware you're getting. That's all he said.

[General Shrooms]

Point being it's cheap compared to what it costs to make. Point not being cheap compared to how much money you have.

[Vames]

I've realized that comprehension is lost to guys on N4G. He did not say the Rift is cheap, he's saying it is cheap for what it is. People expecting it to be cheap have no idea what is under the hood, and people comparing it to Google Cardboard are just as out of the loop.

Your Google Cardboard requires a flipping $600 phone, the same can be said for the Gear VR. This has everything built-in.

The Rift is packing two screens for each eye, the overall resolution is comparable to a monitor that cost over $600. Then we have the other important piece of equipment inside.

People are now looking to the PlayStation VR, forgetting that it will come with an external processor. If it is cheaper than the Rift, then it will be inferior tech wise, and the experience will never match what Oculus is offering.

I can't afford this thing, but unlike you complainers, I'm willing to wait a while until it becomes mainstream.

[Dario_DC]

F that! 700€ is WAY too expensive! It's a ripoff! 600$ is 557€! GTFOH with that bullcrap! European countries get so much crap in terms of pricing it's not even funny.
Don't care what anyone says, this is robbery! And it needs to stop now.

[uth11]

He said it's because of taxes required to be added in. That's probably true, I know Europe has VAT taxes the US doesn't.

[Dario_DC]

I can't justify a 150$ premium (currency converted) on taxes!
If I can use the Oculus/PSVR as a "TV" per say, I'll probably buy one of them on a "later date"... I just can't accept these types of pricing practices.. I already pay 70€ for brand new games, it's too much.

[uth11]

This is for UK, but it shows that VAT would add about 20% total to the base cost.

http://www.thisismoney.co.u...

[Tobsesan]

With taxes here in germany it would be around 660€ and not 700€, yet its still way too much for this kind of thing. May as well buy a jet

[ziggurcat]

Just so you know, Canada gets screwed with the pricing as well.

[Theangrybogan]

So does Australia

[DragonKnight]

$800 in Canada is B.S.

[ziggurcat]

@dragon:

absolutely! at the current exchange rate, it'll likely be $849... and the sad thing is when the exchange rate gets better, the prices likely won't get adjusted.

[Aenea]

That's without VAT, with VAT the price would be around €675... Where the remaining €25 comes from I have no clue...

You must not forget that in the US prices are listed without sales tax/VAT even tho people still have to pay them...

[ChrisW]

Well... I'm pretty certain it's not like Dr. Dre's Beats which cost about $14 to make and are sold for about the same as an Oculus.

[Imalwaysright]

Agree 100%. We europeans always get the shaft.

[ApolloTheBoss]

Maybe to the average millionaire, who he probably has in mind.

[SweatyFlorida]

"My friend Bill Gates bought 3 of them, I mean c'mon!" - Luckey

[-Foxtrot]

Cheap to him...the guy probably rolling in money

He probably wipes his arse with $599

[badz149]

Probably? He already is rolling in the money from the FB buyout!

[Lamboomington]

'obscenely cheap for what it is'

He's not saying it's cheap. He never said it's cheap. He even said VR (atleast on PC) will become something everyone wants before everyone can afford it.

'cheap for what it is' just means the hardware is more than worth it, and you're getting a good deal for the high quality hardware you're buying.

Can we stop with the silly jabs at Palmer ?

I'm happy they went for quality over price. That sets the bar high. Sure, it delays mass adoption, but who cares ? That's going to come later anyway.

[Kalebninja]

Lmao that's not cheap to the average new yorker. that's like 40% of the average monthly NY salary.

[crazychris4124]

It's a third of my monthly salary. Took me a couple years to save up for the beast that I built while giving myself breathing room in case for emergencies.

[Imalwaysright]

In my country that is more than the minimal wage.

[frostypants]

Average NYC income is something like $50K. $600 would be closer to 20% monthly salary after taxes. Still expensive as hell though.

[Kalebninja]

That's the average american income, Pretty sure the average new yorkers salary is south of 40k

[girevik]

This isn't a good sign. Once you feel the need to defend in sales you're toast.

[madjedi]

And exactly why does it have to instantly sell out for the technology to succeed?

Can't it grow slowly over time, this is a addon for a luxury after all.

I don't understand the numerous kneejerk reactions as if a high price tag is a instant death sentence.

If anything the high price point will only slow adoption rates.

[girevik]

What I meant to say is that in sales, as in the profession, the last thing you want to do is get bogged down in defending price. It does not instill confidence. That's all I meant but poorly communicated.

[madjedi]

Okay thanks, I just don't understand the whole doom and gloom surrounding this announcement.

It just seems odd, minus people wanting to complain for the sake of complaining.

[yomfweeee]

If it doesn't sell well, games won't be made for it as much. So yes it is a problem. It is already a niche product.

[SteamPowered]

Sigh,

Considering most monitors worth a damn usually start in that price range, I dont think its too steep. Its another viewing peripheral that just happens to play VR games and Movies and it requires a beastly PC. Hardly different than playing in 1440p or 4K in terms of price or accessibility. less than 5% of gamers play in 4k. Does that mean that 4K is DOA and not being developed?

[1nsomniac]

Most monitors cost that much?? since when?

I don't think I've ever seen a monitor cost half that much.

[SteamPowered]

If you are playing 1080p you can get a cheap monitor, yeah. But a decent 1440p/4k one starts at $650USD.

You can probably find cheaper, but you get what you pay for.

[specialguest]

SteamPowered is right. Most highend monitors are expensive. There's an ultrawide 3440x1440 monitor(equivalent to a 27" in height) I've been wanting for a while that cost $999-1200. Then you have the 1440p/4k monitors that are $400 and up

[Skate-AK]

Monitors can get very expensive, especially if you want a 4K Gsync monitor. Here is an Amazon link to monitors in the $600-$1000 range and you will see there are quite a lot.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref...

[Kingthrash360]

I saw a article about steam showing the number of gamers playing at 4k...was like 2% or something. ..my point 98% of people don't have a 4k monitor or pc capable of running 4k. So to say people buy monitors for this much it's a very small amount of people. If oculus is aiming for that customer they've lost already.
Also will they set aside that 600$ monitor to play a few games on a 600$ video helmet? I wouldn't. Not worth it.

[ginsunuva]

The asus 4k gsync I wanted to buy was like $800

[starchild]

I can only agree, SteamPowered. A lot of people somehow think that these new VR headsets are targeted at the mainstream consumer and that if they don't sell to those people it's going to be "DOA". When in fact they are more targeted at PC enthusiasts like us--the kind of people that will spend $500 or more on a monitor or graphics card.

The early adopters will build excitement for VR and eventually more and more people will want VR and prices will come down to a point they can afford.

[yomfweeee]

Your analogy isn't very good. A game has to be specifically developed for VR (just like Kinect or PS Move). That is quite different than offering a higher resolution.

Also when it comes to resolution, we know that as the years go it will become standard. We do not know that for things like VR.

[SteamPowered]

No it doesn't. VorpX is a workaround that supports VR for around 100 games. Games like skyrim and Gta V have been tuned quite nicely with Vorpx.
Plus there are other apps like 3d movie cinemas and Virtual Desktop where you can have multiple virtual screens as large as you want, that works just the same as your desktop. I've played Diablo 3 on a 300" curved screen while floating in space. Not too many experiences can offer that right now.

[yomfweeee]

Vorpx is just another $40 you'll have to pony up. Like you said, 100 games... that is a drop in the bucket for all the games out there. Also, if you go read personal experiences of using Vorpx you'll find it has a lot of issues and sometimes you have to spend quite a bit of time changing settings for a single game to get a good experience out of it.

I'm not saying that VR doesn't offer a new experience, it certainly does. That doesn't mean it will succeed.

[SteamPowered]

@Yomfweeee

Good dialogue going here. You are right, VorpX isnt perfect. But you know what? It could be. VorpX is still just another mod right now. But imagine if Steam put it on Gameworks. The community can put a nice polish on it right quick.
Or if Oculus or Valve bought VorpX outright and decided to run with it or a similar concept.
But thats all future speculation.

Right now, today, there are VR experiences like no other. And that is why it is still viable on the market. Democratic Debates, Basketball games, golf tourneys, are all being filmed in VR, today.
Oculus will launch with 20 games (more than any next gen console I may add) with 100 more slated for this year.

VR will succeed. You simply have to try it to be a believer.

[frostypants]

Most monitors worth a damn can be had for $300-$400. Who spends close to $600 on a monitor?!

[SteamPowered]

If you game in 1440p/4k they usually start around that price. Feel free to internet if you dont believe me.

Who pays $160 for a controller? or $200 for a mechanical keyboard? Yet they are still on the market and very popular. Affordability will always be relative.

[sashimi]

Well...good luck with that lol

[hiredhelp]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i...

[DragonDDark]

I don't buy from E-Bay...

[kraenk12]

You can stick that Euro price in your behind, sincerely...

[Godmars290]

So, the future of the VR market, whether it will be for general consumer versus a niche audience, is now in Sony's hands. Depending on how much/can mark their tech down from Oculus, with $300 being far sweeter than $500.

Graphic quality isn't that big of a deal, unless its absolutely horrid in comparison to a PS4 title, if only because not many people will have Oculus to compare it to.

Though ultimately, the success and population of PSVR into the general market is a win for the tech itself. Just not the Oculus as a platform for it.

[N4GDgAPc]

Well looks like I will get to compare them. Ordered the oculus rift already. I will also get Hive Pre and Playstation VR.

[barb_wire]

You'd think with all his money he'd stay off Twitter and just hire a PR firm to do the talking.

Some of the tweets from have been cringe worthy.

[plmkoh]

Not just the tweets, he shouldn't be allowed to open his mouth on stage.

[starchild]

He's speaking like a normal gamer, a normal person, and you guys want to give him crap for it? Personally, I find his attitude refreshing.

He's not saying the price is easily affordable for anybody, he's saying that the price is very good considering everything that has gone into it.

[Eonjay]

Obscenely Cheap... would be $100
This costs more than a console.

[Agito1987]

wow 700€... Lets hope sony VR has a lower price tag. Otherwise no VR for me in the near future XD

[Maxor]

I can afford this no problem. The problem is that it's really hard for me to justify the expense. This $600 is better spent on the next GPU upgrade is a superior investment in all regards.

[kraenk12]

You will need to spend this additionally anyway.

[Pintheshadows]

Absolutely Maxor. That is a much better way to spend that amount of cash. I don't think anyone was expecting the headset to be cheap, but blimey, that is a lot of money.

[Perjoss]

later this year some really nice new graphics cards are coming out, I'd much rather get one of those and play some real games then play whatever tech demos will be available for the oculus. You dont even get the motion controllers, instead you get a damn xb1 controller which most people already have.

Valve and HTC have already shown us that VR can be much more than just the headset and a basic controller seated experience with the Vive. I'm just not ready to pay that much for what is essentially a higher res DK2. Its a shame because I really was under the impression the Palmer wanted VR to take off in a big way.

[Pintheshadows]

And following up on your last sentence, that price point is going to be a huge stumbling block for VR. I don't know anyone in my circle that would be willing to pay that much for one.

As you said, a new graphics card, or a nice new TV are far more appealing.

[Maxor]

It's not about value, it's more about knowing exactly I get for my money. $600 on a new Nvidia Pascal GPU which is rumored to be a 4K powerhouse will do more for my games than a VR headset ever could.

[N4GDgAPc]

Then why not get both then? I'm waiting for the Pascal to upgrade my sli nvidia 760 4gb ram for 2 Pascal graphic cards.

[big_dom_part_2]

"Nvidia Pascal GPU which is rumored to be a 4K powerhouse will do more for my games than a VR headset ever could."

Again, you're another person that completely missed the point of what these VR headsets are and what they are capable of doing. The point isn't about pretty visuals. The point of them is complete and total immersion. You put one of these things on, and suddenly you forget you are where you are, and it takes you inside the game. You believe you are in another place. That's the entire point of VR, and it's been a dream and only a matter of science fiction for the better part of 30 years, but now it's real. Graphics cards are only the external hardware to power it all. Nothing more. The device itself is completely independent and it's own thing.

[starchild]

The thing is, it depends on your priorities. Personally I'm looking for some fresh experiences. My current rig already plays everything I throw at it on my G-Sync monitor or my VT60 plasma very well, so for me it's a better investment to get a VR headset that allows me to access a whole bunch of new content and a whole new way of experiencing my entertainment.

[Perjoss]

I totally agree about the fresh experience part, I already have a DK2 and a great PC, the retail oculus seems to only offer a higher resolution over the previous versions (and headphones), that's why after trying the Vive at EGX I'm far more excited about that.

[Pintheshadows]

Damn.

£500. I could buy a new PC for that. I didn't expect the headset to be cheap, but I was hoping for £399.

If that is the entry price I fear VR could struggle to take off for a while yet. And if it isn't adopted early, I wonder if people will lose interest, and then maybe developers working on it.

There isn't much point in making games for it if only a handful of people can afford one.

[NewAgeisHere]

So this is what being on crack sounds like. 599esd is cheap????If PSVR is even a dollar above 400usd I'm not even considering it, let alone buying it.

[Pancit_Canton]

Oculus Rifts your wallet.lol

This thing is as good as DOA.

[ApocalypseShadow]

There are street fighter arcade sticks going for $200 dollars on amazon for PS3.

There are thrust master steering wheels that go for $350 or more.$400+ if you buy the shifter.

There are PC flight sticks that go up to $400 dollars or more.

Xbox one elite controller is $150+tax on its own.

Even though I'm getting PSVR, somehow people looking at a limited release bundle at launch is expensive when it does more and changes the way you play and view your content.

It's cheap.

[Tobsesan]

Look what games are announced for PSVR, i cant see anyone getting hyped for that. Lets hope its not that expensive.

[ApocalypseShadow]

Where did they announce games? I'm seeing any article yet.

[fei-hung]

Yes, but those accessories don't sell millions and are targeted at a very niche hardcore group of racing fans, fighting fans etc.

I'm hoping PSVR comes in at £300 with a free game. Luckily for me I have 2 move controllers and the PS Eye so I won't need to shell out anymore money buying those.

However, I'm going to hold off purchasing one until next year. Hopefully it will have dropped in price by then or there will be more games at a reduced price by then.

[ApocalypseShadow]

Then for you it will be cheap.

I have the move controllers but not the camera.but the camera is selling for $40.I'm expecting to pay $350 to get both.

[Antifan]

It's cheap alright...if you're apart of the 1%.

[Gardenia]

At this point the Oculus is for the elite gamers only, who are willing to spend hundreds or thousands on their PC rig and Rift. That is why I think VR is not going to have a huge impact in the gaming industry at this point

[joeorc]

@Gardenia + 9h ago
At this point the Oculus is for the elite gamers only, who are willing to spend hundreds or thousands on their PC rig and Rift. That is why I think VR is not going to have a huge impact in the gaming industry at this point.

That would be true in my opinion is if VR was just reliance on just Oculus Rift, HTC:Vive & playstation VR as its main push of the market growth for VR.

Today VR is not like it was back in the 80's & 1990's for trying to grow the market with such few options for VR it was expensive & most of the blunt big point was you would have to spend quite a bit of cash to make VR a real viable market product to be enmass adopted by consumers.

What's the difference today than before over 25 years ago is the smartphone & phablet market has now made it possible to get in a Entry point into VR for the consumer that can use already in consumers hands a device that many consumers may in fact already own.

That by in of itself allows VR a vector of growth into the market that did not exist 25 years ago. This fact alone can and most likely will push VR to be accepted as a viable market for growth since with even being "entry level" this VR is still allowing the consumer a new introduction into new way to experience the software games & application that they can download to their smartphone & or phablet.

With cost for the housing being $99.00 with GearVR or lower DiveVR being even less. It allows VR entry point enmass to allow support cycle time for the new much higher performance VR extended time on the market without requiring a replacement HMD VR unit For a while.

Its the ability of VR in general now as a product that is viable than just a few headsets here or there..its the ability to turn smart phones and phablets into HMD VR headsets that will be helping push VR to more mainstream audience.

[jmac53]

$600 for Oculus and at least $300 for the minimum graphics card. My math skills are telling me that's almost $1000 with taxes included. Not obscenely cheap.

[ElementX]

New technology is always expensive. The starting price sounds about right, at least for launch

[BABY-JEDI]

It seems that Oculus backers have no intention of breaking the mainstream market. At this price point & adding in the costing of a powerful (enough) PC rig £1700 +. All this hitting a £2300 min price point. This really if a f*ck load of money to gamble on. The devs really must be bricking this market entry point 😢

[locoz31]

I am disappointed but not surprised about the price. I am however surprised at all the hate Oculus is getting. This is the first generation of virtual reality technology. Do you think the first touch screen smart phones were cheap? The first flat panel TV's cost ten times what a projection big screen did at the time. I am glad that Oculus did not cut back on the tech in the Rift in an attempt to keep the entry price lower, the launch of Rift CV1 and the quality of the user experience is extremely important for VR to succeed. The last thing we need is a half assed VR headset that everyone can afford but feels like a cheap gimmick that does not enhance gaming and ruins the credibility of VR. I agree that with Facebook owning Oculus they could have afforded to take a hit on the price but after paying 2 billion for Oculus I think they expect a return in investment. I don't believe what Palmer said about them not making a profit on it. Although I was hoping for a $400-$500 price, I still reserved mine for a few reasons.
-I want VR to take us to the next level in gaming.
-I recently built a new PC specifically for VR.
-Although its not cheap, I understand why it will cost $600.

New technology that has not yet been mass produced will be significantly expensive. For example midrange smartphones have gotten really good, and really cheap over the years, because of mass production, growing facilities and production capacities, competition and a host of other factors. Oculus did not just slap a Note 5 screen in the rift and call it a day. It uses two custom high refresh screens manufactured specifically for the Rift. As time passes and consumers become more aware of VR and its capabilities extend way past gaming, headsets will inevitably become more affordable. I think there will still be many more advancements that will keep the high end headsets up there in price (look at how after many years we are still paying $700 for a flagship smartphone) but until VR is a mainstream device, early adopters and enthusiasts are going to have to pay the price, something that is necessary to help drive the awareness and success that is needed to finally take entertainment to the next level and in the end, help everyone afford VR.

[starchild]

Yes, I've been saying the same thing. It's nice to see someone with some sense. Excellent comment.

You're right, these are just baby steps into a brave new world, prices will come down over time even as the experience continues to get better.

[Hassassin]

It's up to us, early adopters, to decide if it's worth the $600 price tag.

[kenwonobi]

I'm not surprised in the least the PC version comes in at this price. It's like looking at the new Samsung galaxy and you know the premium experience is gonna cost you. Now if the PSVR is priced the same? I would be surprised. I have a feeling it's not though. I think the PSVR is like buying Vizio or whatever mass market appeal products. You know it's quality but good price too.

[ShinoBro]

The price comes as such a surprise because Palmer Luckey himself has said that it would be between $200 and $400. Just in October he said it would be upwards of $350 but still within that ballpark. He also said that the Facebook acquisition would help subsidize the final product.

I think they're taking advantage of the fact that the Vive is delayed until mid 2016, and PSVR is TBA. I'd expect a price drop around the time HTC starts hyping up their release, but right now they have no incentive to compete.

[mokkeyrg2]

crazy when you need a good pc to run it man!

[MasterD919]

Well, you can always buy one and then return it like most people who can't afford this but will do anything to check it out.

[FN4GM]

Well its "obscene" alright, but "cheap", not so much.

[The_Eternal_one]

I don't think it's expensive for what it is. But even if you have a PC that can run it there isn't enough games or even proven ips that make it cheap and worth buying for the price of $599. If it had 50 games and 30 of them were amazing then I would see a point in buying one this year.

[RosweeSon]

The price of a cheap second hand car is not obscenely cheap.

[stiggs]

A second hand car for $600?
Is it 1979 again?

[Artemidorus]

You clearly don't know how to spend $600 very well.

[stiggs]

@Artemidorus

Yeah, you're probably right.

I've had bar tabs more than $600;)

[RosweeSon]

Come to the U.K you can get a run around car easily for £250. Maybe 3rd or 4th hand but still.

[windblowsagain]

It will not sell well at that price.

I also wonder what price the playstation vr is.

[masterfox]

"Obscenely Cheap", this is the perfect example how ignorant he is about the current economy of the average consumer.

I remember the PS3 price announcement at 599, but in that time the PS3 was a brand new tech blu ray player, it was a PS2, not to mention a plethora of multimedia formats, you where getting the value for that time. on this case the Oculus Rift is just a damn accessory that it needs a costly PC gaming rig, so paying $599 for that thing is not right IMO

[b1nary_B0SS]

I also remember IGN reporting on an interview Ken Kutaragi did with IT Media in which he supposedly said that the PS3, “was probably too cheap”, given all of its capabilities and the novelty of its tech.

Shortly thereafter, he was lambasted and derided on sites like this one as being “arrogant”, “cocky”, “Krazy”, etc.

Let’s see if Palmer Luckey gets the same treatment…I highly doubt it.

[Artemidorus]

599 for a VR system is not cheap considering if you need a new PC to use this.

It's a flop until the price crashes. The hardcore will buy, the casual won't.

[masterfox]

Totally agree.

[Imalwaysright]

We are the hardcore and many of us here aren't happy about the price tag.

[Artemidorus]

That makes it alot worse.

[Pathogenic]

I am not going to lie. $499.99 for VR is a steep price to pay for this product. I'm not saying that as I can't afford it, I'm saying that our currency is in shambles her in Canada. Just the other day our loonie dipped below 70 cents which hasn't been seen since 2003.

I'm just saying $499.99 for VR is what United States will pay. Here in Canada your talking another hundred dollars plus your taxes. So if it's $599.99 CAD before taxes, with taxes it would become the price of the PlayStation 2 when it first came out which was $$599.99 plus tax which equaled $677.79 CAD.

I'm sorry but that is outrageous and I would rather use that to pay for bills, school, rent or save it for a rainy day. This product is too high priced for the average gamer. Just too expensive. If PSVR is $399.99 US it would be $499.99 CAD plus your applicable taxes. So really your paying a lot more in the end for these devices.

I don't care how much it costs to produce these VR headsets. You need to price it accordingly for the average gamer. And honestly the average gamer can't even buy more than one game here in Canada in the same month or two months even. It's ridiculous.

So it looks like I'm opting out for both VR headsets. Which I'm okay with.

[alti]

WAY TOO MUCH.

Unacceptable. Sony to the rescue </amiright ?>

[Picnic]

I've had VR for years. It's called any 3D game ever since Mario 64.

What you're paying for is the privilege of blocking out anything other than the game screen.

Why not just buy a big curved 4K TV and sit in the dark instead? Or a HDTV with 3D capabilities if you like, as has been treat like a gimmick for several years even though it's a pretty fine way to have a kind of virtual reality.

If you want to sit with a heavy headset that's your lookout. It has little to do with how hardcore a gamer you are.

[big_dom_part_2]

No it isn't. That's like something a grandad would say regarding a black and white CRT TV from the 50's, compared to a 50" 4k smart TV that can connect to the internet and other devices.

If that's your view of VR, then you're in for a bit of a rude awakening when these things start to become more mainstream and you eventually get to try one out.

[Picnic]

Look, VR's been around for over 20 years so don't make out that it's the kind of obvious graphical leap you use in your example.

It may be an OK experience but will it beat having the best HDTV that you can get? No.
How could it at that price?

Your idea of what is groundbreaking is different to mine. To me, you're the 1950s guy with his silly headset.

[big_dom_part_2]

VR has not been around for 20 years. Not the way it was envisaged. 20 years ago, it was a pipe dream, and attempts at it only resulted in failure because the technology wasn't there for it. Now it's completely viable, so once again, you're talking absolute balls.

[Rooted_Dust]

I'm sure his statement is in relation to how much the custom components cost versus how much they're asking for it. That being said it has pushed me out of early adopting.

[Dannylew]

Bleah!!...

[MonkeyOne]

Console tards have been spoiled by Microsoft and Sony selling their consoles at a loss to keep prices down.

It costs these companies hundreds of millions (sometimes billions) of dollars to develop and market these systems.

If you can't afford it then find a new hobby.

Used books are a few bucks a piece

[ironmonkey]

well im sure sony people are reading all over the net what people have to say about the rifts price so we will see.

[Brugal]

I agree

[Tzuno]

Suckers will pay with or without money they will clench their cheeks and poop dollars for Lucky Ducky.

[porkChop]

Obscenely cheap? It's a $600-minimum VR headset, that requires a $1,000-minimum PC to use it. So just to get started you're looking at a $1,600 investment just to use this thing. That is not cheap in any way.

[big_dom_part_2]

Early adaptor prices, but this Luckey fella is a tosser. Never liked him to start with, but his talk of such a high price to the average consumer smacks of arrogance. Let's see how arrogant he is when sales don't take off as he expects and is forced to sell this at a loss. If HTC bring their headset out at around the same price, or even cheaper, Oculus is dead in the water, simple as that. They are selling this because there is zero competition for it at the moment. That will all change. Give it a year, and things will look drastically different.

[theFAYEsorceress]

huh. must be nice to be rich. i feel like a 200$ purchase is a lot of money these days...

[CoryHG]

Well considering it comes with remote and xbox one controller, the device could have been $499. Still too much. Waiting on playstation vr

[peshkavusCA]

I bet when Sony VR headset is priced at $799 the same Oculus haters will say it's so cheap, they will buy 1 each for the rest of their family :P

[Razuel]

LMAO

[Brugal]

Did this guy get PR lessons from Don Mattick?

[Vithar]

LMAO thanks for the laugh :)

[Vithar]

not to mention the pwoerful PC you need to run VR, not cheap at all lol

[WDBII]

Yeah I'm not going to buy this. It will be completely useless to me. Main reason: The type of games I play most often. SPORTS

[GrontB]

I know that every 18 months or 2 years I buy a cell phone that cost me 699.99 (note 4 still) over that time. I can justify a new piece of tech in the works since 2009 over a cell phone that will be totally replaced in 18 months give or take. If you have the pc then its for you. I have mine preorded and don't mind to pay the price. But if you don't have the pc or swait and play at a friends that does.