Oculus Rift Development on OS X 'Paused' to Focus on Strong Windows Launch

MacRumors · May 15, 2015

Following the acquisition of Oculus by Facebook last year, not much news came out regarding the virtual reality headset's availability to its non-developer fanbase. Recently, however, Oculus confirmed the Rift will be up for pre-order later this year, with the first units shipping sometime in the first quarter of 2016.

A glimpse inside the consumer model of the Oculus Rift

Atman Binstock, Chief Architect at Oculus and technical director of the Rift, today wrote a blog post on the company's website providing more details on the exact rig configuration PC players can expect to need when playing games on the Rift. Towards the end of the blog, Binstock also notes that development for the Rift on both Mac and Linux has "paused" to deliver as strong a launch as possible on the headset's sole platform - Windows.

"Our development for OS X and Linux has been paused in order to focus on delivering a high quality consumer-level VR experience at launch across hardware, software, and content on Windows. We want to get back to development for OS X and Linux but we don't have a timeline."

The Rift has had a long and bumpy road ever since it was introduced in 2012 with a developer kit version being sold both on the company's website and as a $300 reward tier on its widely known Kickstarter campaign. Ever since, the Rift has shown up at numerous gaming conventions and electronics shows, but not until this year was any sort of hint given concerning when a mass-marketed consumer version would finally be available.

Although the lengthy development process for the Oculus Rift is more than understandable - the consumer version plans to have improved head tracking, a wireless headset, and even integrated audio - today's news of a delayed launch on Mac and Linux will undoubtedly be disappointing for many fans. For those interested in seeing what sort of system requirements the virtual reality headset will require on Windows PC's, check out Binstock's full blog post here.

Article Link: Oculus Rift Development on OS X 'Paused' to Focus on Strong Windows Launch

SSD-GUY · May 15, 2015

Can Macs even play games?

MarximusMG · May 15, 2015

Not incredibly surprised by this. Was actually more surprised to know that they were even putting resources into developing for OS X at one point.

wigby · May 15, 2015

so facebook buys it but they're concentrating on high end pc games? the only thing that keeps Facebook afloat is mobile devices. there will be a handful of games that support this device so how many do they really plan on selling?

this thing is doa.

Cougarcat · May 15, 2015

Considering the specs leave most Macs out anyway, I'm not surprised. But my Hackintosh is a little sad.

Thunderhawks · May 15, 2015

At one point we'll all be blind from the daily stress on our eyes from all the small screens.

This can only add to this.

BvizioN · May 15, 2015

We will be looking at this stuff same way as we look at old mobile phones, on the very near future.

TWSS37 · May 15, 2015

It's got the largest install base and if the requirements are a $800 gaming PC, what would that cost, in Apple terms? You're probably talking about an Apple device that would be over $2500, and what's the install base for that?

voyagerd · May 15, 2015

Lame..

I tried out a DK2 and liked everything but the resolution. Needs retina.

danielsutton · May 15, 2015

MacRumors said:
https://www.macrumors.com/2015/05/15/oculus-rift-development-os-x/Image

Following the acquisition of Oculus by Facebook last year, not much news came out regarding the virtual reality headset's availability to its non-developer fanbase. Recently, however, Oculus confirmed the Rift will be up for pre-order later this year, with the first units shipping sometime in the first quarter of 2016.

Image
A glimpse inside the consumer model of the Oculus Rift
Atman Binstock, Chief Architect at Oculus and technical director of the Rift, today wrote a blog post on the company's website providing more details on the exact rig configuration PC players can expect to need when playing games on the Rift. Towards the end of the blog, Binstock also notes that development for the Rift on both Mac and Linux has "paused" to deliver as strong a launch as possible on the headset's sole platform - Windows.
The Rift has had a long and bumpy road ever since it was introduced in 2012 with a developer kit version being sold both on the company's website and as a $300 reward tier on its widely known Kickstarter campaign. Ever since, the Rift has shown up at numerous gaming conventions and electronics shows, but not until this year was any sort of hint given concerning when a mass-marketed consumer version would finally be available.

YouTube: video
Although the lengthy development process for the Oculus Rift is more than understandable - the consumer version plans to have improved head tracking, a wireless headset, and even integrated audio - today's news of a delayed launch on Mac and Linux will undoubtedly be disappointing for many fans. For those interested in seeing what sort of system requirements the virtual reality headset will require on Windows PC's, check out Binstock's full blog post here.

Article Link: Oculus Rift Development on OS X 'Paused' to Focus on Strong Windows Launch

Since Windows 8 was released, each new version of Windows has been a reboot, and the OSs image has suffered as a result. OS X is a much more mature platform at this point, so I find it a little perplexing that OS X would be put on pause. We don't yet know how Windows 10 will be received in the marketplace, at the same time that Apple's share is growing, so this move may have been a bit misguided.

Ted13 · May 15, 2015

These days the vast majority of people spending money on third party software are Apple customers. Microsoft's third party large investor customers are primarily corporations, and those won't be buying Ocolus.

Big mistake: they picket the wrong OS to start first with.

James Manesh · May 15, 2015

People with Macs have better things to do.

voyagerd · May 15, 2015

BvizioN said:
We will be looking at this stuff same way as we look at old mobile phones, on the very near future.

Sandi!?

CFreymarc · May 15, 2015

This makes a lot of sense as the higher end gaming market is almost all high end PC. Since Apple does not offer any expansion for third party graphics cards, of course Windows is up front! Why pause Linux, they want paying customers.

lewisd25 · May 15, 2015

Any desire I had for Windows was paused years ago.

Hes Nikke · May 15, 2015

HTC Vive for the win?

mw360 · May 15, 2015

I'm convinced they're going to get beaten to market by a better product. They've been developing this thing wide out in the open which is exciting for the nerds but not exactly great business. Other, established brands will be watching, copying and throwing big money at their own solutions.

pragmatous · May 15, 2015

Yes they can. You can download steam for mac.

SSD-GUY said:
Can Macs even play games?

thekeyring · May 15, 2015

This must be what Android users feel when it comes to smartphone app development.

Still, after spending 4 hours recovering work from my sister's netbook, I'd rather have a Mac any day.

AngerDanger · May 15, 2015

I'm still disappointed with the decision to cast Ben Affleck as Batman; I hope they reconsider the Oculus Rift for the part.

tevion5 · May 15, 2015

BvizioN said:
We will be looking at this stuff same way as we look at old mobile phones, on the very near future.

Those phones got far more practical and far more useful overtime. I believe virtual reality technology will be quite sophisticated in my life-time. There is something appealing about being able to mess about in your own "The Matrix" world. People are attached to the idea so I doubt development will ever stop.

Portable computers used to look like this:

Now I'm typing this post from one of these:

Amazing what can happen in only 20 short years.

pragmatous · May 15, 2015

The only reason why I haven't bought a desktop based mac is because I like to build my own box and there are quite a few games you can't get on mac that's on windows. I'd get a cheap imac tho for the purpose of using xcode.

lewisd25 said:
Any desire I had for Windows was paused years ago.

macsrcool1234 · May 15, 2015

Ted13 said:
These days the vast majority of people spending money on third party software are Apple customers. Microsoft's third party large investor customers are primarily corporations, and those won't be buying Ocolus.

Big mistake: they picket the wrong OS to start first with.

Not gamers.

Ted13 · May 15, 2015

danielsutton said:
Since Windows 8 was released, each new version of Windows has been a reboot, and the OSs image has suffered as a result. OS X is a much more mature platform at this point, so I find it a little perplexing that OS X would be put on pause. We don't yet know how Windows 10 will be received in the marketplace, at the same time that Apple's share is growing, so this move may have been a bit misguided.

Yup, exactly. Microsoft hasn't lost their corporate service, but they have clearly lost their high end individual buyers: sure low end customers will stick to Windows, but they are going to stay with they current out of date version, until they are forced to buy a new machine.

Gamers may be buying Xbox if they aren't Sony fans, but I doubt they are going to spend much money on Windows 10 software.

Yr Blues · May 15, 2015

I hope eventually the computer will be contained in the Rift itself. No external dependency.

Oculus Rift Development on OS X 'Paused' to Focus on Strong Windows Launch

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