The next Oculus Rift headset adds headphones, expands motion tracking

By Adam Rosenberg September 21, 2014

next oculus rift headset adds headphones expands motion tracking vr crescent bay — Image used with permission by copyright holder

The DK2 (developer kit 2) version of Oculus VR’s Rift virtual reality headset might have only just started shipping in July 2014, but the company revealed the next version of its as-yet-unreleased product at the weekend event, Oculus Connect.

The so-called Crescent Bay prototype represents the next evolution for the tech, most noticeably adding built-in headphones that can be removed. Crescent Bay also features an improved display, 360-degree head tracking, newly improved positional tracking thanks to newly added sensors on the unit’s rear strap, and reduced weight.

In related news, Oculus also confirmed a partnership with Unity Technologies — developer of the popular Unity game engine software tools — that aims to establish the Rift as a proper platform unto itself. In simple terms, it means Unity will feature integrated support for building Oculus Rift content. This should help to spur more rapid growth in the realm of virtual reality software development.

There’s no word yet on what the plan is as far as releasing Crescent Bay. Like past Rift headset releases, this isn’t meant to be viewed as a consumer product. It is still very much a non-final developer kit, designed specifically for creators to start building content and early adopters to help inspire them.

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Previously, Adam worked in the games press as a freelance writer and critic for a range of outlets, including Digital Trends…

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