Oculus Hopes $200 Wireless VR Headset Jumpstart Business

It’s no secret that Oculus is going through some troublesome times, what with the lawsuit filed by ZeniMax and the threat of injunction. However, as the jump in sales after the company made the Rift $200 cheaper indicates, interest in VR is still strong. The only thing that seems to be stopping widespread adoption is the price, which is why the company is thinking of releasing a cheaper, wireless version in 2018.

In a Bloomberg report, people familiar with the project revealed that Facebook is thinking about releasing a VR product that could cost around $200. This is a follow up in their effort to turn VR into a global phenomenon that the mass market can get behind.

Right now, the VR and even AR market fall into two categories. There are the super cheap models for use with smartphones and there are the high-end units such as the HTC Vive and the Oculus Rift which costs upwards of $600 and need to be paired with expensive computers to work.

Naturally, both of these types have their advantages and drawbacks. Facebook is thinking that it can find a way to achieve a middle ground approach by creating a VR headset that offers beautiful graphics and performance while costing less than half what the original Rift is priced at.

As expected, neither Facebook nor Oculus are willing to divulge any information at this point. However, a spokesperson did say that the VR company is working on new technology that has to do with standalone VR, Fortune reports.

“We don't have a product to unveil at this time, however we can confirm that we're making several significant technology investments in the standalone VR category," the spokesperson said. "This is in addition to our commitment to high-end VR products like Oculus Rift and mobile phone products like Gear VR.”