Oculus Touch controllers: What are they, how much do they cost, and when can you buy them?

Facebook-owned Oculus VR is in the middle of its main keynote, where it has shed new details on the Oculus Rift’s Touch controllers.

The virtual reality company’s third-annual Oculus Connect conference kicked off on 5 October and will go until 7 October, but the big event is the main keynote, which began at 10 am PT on 6 October. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg took the stage to reveal Oculus is making a standalone VR headset that works without cords, among other things.

But if you only care about the Touch controllers, no worries. You don’t need to watch the entire keynote to catch up, as we’ve detailed everything you need to know, including how much they cost and when you can get them. We also have this piece that details what they are and how you can use them with Rift.

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What is Oculus Touch?

According to Oculus, Oculus Touch is a “pair of tracked controllers that deliver natural ‘hand presence’ – the feeling that your virtual hands are actually your own.” The controllers, which were first announced last year, work with the Oculus Rift VR headset. For more information, see our Oculus Touch guide.

How much does Oculus Touch cost?

Oculus Touch is priced at $199.

Oculus promised the Touch controllers would work at room scale, but you’ll need to use a third camera placed in the back of the room. Those cameras will cost $79 each. The Rift’s $599 headset package, when combined with the controllers’ $199 price and the extra camera’s $79 price, makes the full Oculus platform more expensive than the $799 HTC Vive, which has two Lighthouse tracking boxes and two handheld controllers.

There’s no word yet on UK pricing.

When can you buy Oculus Touch?

Oculus Touch will be available on 6 December. Preorders open 10 October. The controller bundle will come with two titles (VR Sports Challenge and The Unspoken) as well as a second camera. Remember, a third sensor, which will release 6 December, is needed for the Touch controller to room-scale. 

There’s no word yet on availability outside of the US.

Do other games work with Oculus Touch?

Yes. Other games, such as the sci-fi shooter Arktika and Lone Echo from Ready at Dawn, will launch with Touch compatibility. Oculus is even showing off demos for Touch-compatible games like Luna, Quill, Landfall, Kingspray, The Unspoken, VR Sports, I Expect You to Die, Killing Floor, and SingSpace.

Visit Oculus’ blog for more details on these games.