Oculus has announced that the final consumer version of Samsung's Gear VR headset will cost just $99 when it arrives this November in the US - just in time for Black Friday. It will then launch in more than 40 countries in the following months, but we'll have to wait a little longer before we get an exact UK price and release date.
The good news, though, is that the consumer model of Gear VR will be compatible with all of Samsung's current top-end handsets, including the Galaxy Note 5, S6 Edge+ and the standard Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge. This is much better than the Gear VR Innovator Edition we tested back in January, as this was only limited to the Galaxy Note 4.
While still powered by the same core technology as Oculus Rift, the consumer Gear VR is a completely different headset to the Innovator edition. It's been designed from the ground up to work with its 2015 line-up of flagship smartphones, and is 22% lighter than before, according to Samsung. The touchpad on the side of the headset has also been completely re-engineered so that it's easier to use.
It will also feature all new games, videos and experiences. For instance, Minecraft will be shipping next spring, while Monument Valley developers UsTwo will be releasing the headset's first exclusive title, Land's End. Alternatively, those who fancy something a little more retro will be able to play more than 20 classic games via Oculus Arcade from the likes of Sega, Warner Bros Midway and Bandai Namco, including Sonic the Hedgehog, Gauntlet, Spy Hunter and Pac-Man.
Likewise, Oculus Cinema has been renamed Oculus Video, and the company has been working with several Hollywood studios, including 20th Centry Fox and Lionsgate, to let users watch over 100 films like The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1, X-Men and the Alien Trilogy right from their front room. You'll still need to buy your own popcorn, though. Alternatively, you can pop on Netflix VR, instead.
Twitch is coming to Gear VR, too, allowing you to watch friends play games via a virtual reality avatar. Other services include Vimeo, Tivo and Hulu, but it's likely that most of these will be exclusive to the US version. One thing you won't miss out on, though, is Facebook's 360 degree News Feed videos, as these will also be available to view straight from your headset.
While UK pricing has yet to be confirmed, a $99 headset is certainly a lot cheaper than we were expecting, so it hopefully won't break the bank when it does eventually arrive on UK shores. At a direct conversion, this works out to around £65, but it's probably more likely to cost £78 or £80 once you add on VAT. That's still much lower than we were expecting, though, and we can't wait to try it out for ourselves nearer its official launch.
