Skip to main content
Tech Radar TechRadar the technology experts
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
RSS
Asia
flag of Singapore
Singapore
Europe
flag of Danmark
Danmark
flag of Suomi
Suomi
flag of Norge
Norge
flag of Sverige
Sverige
flag of UK
UK
flag of Italia
Italia
flag of Nederland
Nederland
flag of België (Nederlands)
België (Nederlands)
flag of France
France
flag of Deutschland
Deutschland
flag of España
España
North America
flag of US (English)
US (English)
flag of Canada
Canada
flag of México
México
Australasia
flag of Australia
Australia
flag of New Zealand
New Zealand
  • Phones
  • Computing
  • TVs
  • AI
  • Streaming
  • Health
  • Audio
  • VPN
  • More
    • Cameras
    • Home
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Opinion
    • How to
    • Versus
    • Deals
    • Coupons
    • Best
Tech Radar Pro
Tech Radar Gaming
Trending
  • Memorial Day
  • Computex
  • Google I/O
  • Nintendo Switch 2
  • Best laptop
  • ChatGPT
  • Best VPN
  • NYT Wordle today

Recommended reading

Virtual Reality & Augmented Reality Does anyone care about VR anymore? It still doesn't have that "killer" app
The Valve Index VR headset
Virtual Reality & Augmented Reality Valve deckard VR headset described as ‘quite amazing’ but there’s still no word on its launch
The Meta Quest 3 and controllers on their charging station which is itself on a wooden desk next to a lamp
Virtual Reality & Augmented Reality Forget Android XR, I've got my eyes on Vivo's new Meta Quest 3 competitor as it could be the most important VR headset of 2025
The Valve Index
Virtual Reality & Augmented Reality Valve leak hints that its next VR headset could be landing sooner than we realized
Google Android XR, Glasses, and Project Moohan
Virtual Reality & Augmented Reality Google’s Android XR glasses look like its most exciting gadget in years – but the headset leaves me wanting more
The Meta Quest Pro on its charging pad on a desk, in front of a window with the curtain closed
Virtual Reality & Augmented Reality Samsung, Apple and Meta want to use OLED in their next VR headsets – but only Meta has a plan to make it cheap
An orange Meta Quest 3 and its controllers on a blue plastic plinth in front of a blank wall
Virtual Reality & Augmented Reality Meta Quest 4: 5 things I want to see from Meta's next VR headset
  1. Gaming
  2. Virtual Reality Gaming

Oculus Rift then and now: its journey from Kickstarter to VR firestarter

News
By Parker Wilhelm published 29 March 2016

A Rift in time

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Let's see how far we've come

Let's see how far we've come

After a successful crowdfunding campaign, loads of demos, a Facebook buyout in there somewhere, and years of waiting, the Oculus Rift finally made it out to consumers on Monday.

Marketed as the first major virtual reality headset designed for gaming, a lot of tests, tech, and trial and error went into the Rift's design.

While it's now a refined piece of hardware, as our Michelle Fitzsimmons explains in her hands-on review of the headset, it wasn't always so. Let's take a look at how the goggles grew over the years, from a cobbled-together crafts project to the high-end consumer product it is today.

Page 1 of 9
Page 1 of 9
Before there was Oculus, there was still a Rift

Before there was Oculus, there was still a Rift

Of course, we must start with the devices humbles beginnings.

Oculus Co-Founder Palmer Luckey was tinkering with VR gaming well before the Rift launched its way to internet stardom. While far from the prettiest piece of hardware, Luckey's homemade prototype for the Rift did manage to charm one John Carmack, who would prove a powerful asset for Oculus.

Programmer of classic games like Wolfenstein 3D and Quake, as well as a techno-wizard and virtual reality advocate, Carmack used Luckey's duct-taped architecture as a basis for his own VR software, and demonstrated the janky-looking headset at E3 2012.

The collaboration between the two techies would eventually solidify in 2013, when Carmack joined the Oculus crew as the company's chief technology officer. We'd like to imagine Carmack's first order of business was replacing the duct tape with something more respectable.

Image Credit: G4/screengrab

Page 2 of 9
Page 2 of 9
The Kickstarter Mock-up

The Kickstarter Mock-up

Debuting on Kickstarter two months after Oculus formed in the summer of 2012, this proposed "first draft" of the Rift shows just how far the headset's come in the years since.

Created more as a proof of concept than a practical blueprint, the design still grabbed the tech world's attention long enough to get the footing (and backing) it needed to progress to a real-life version later on.

The original Kickstarter design of the Rift was crucial in getting the project off the ground, but the lack of headphones and an over-the-head strap, plus looking pretty front-heavy, makes us really happy this design never made it to the manufacturer.

Page 3 of 9
Page 3 of 9
The First Development Kit (DK1)

The First Development Kit (DK1)

Released in the fall of 2012 as the first "real" Oculus Rift, the DK1 was the first set to get in the hands of backers and other intrigued parties who wanted to see what could done with the promising new headset.

While DK1's casing was clunky and the LCD screen not the prettiest display on the block, it did accomplish its primary objective and get designers interested in making games for the Rift.

The DK1 also introduced many to their first foray into VR, which helped it find some love with newcomers as much as with VR vets.

Page 4 of 9
Page 4 of 9
The HD Prototype

The HD Prototype

In the summer of 2013, Oculus began working on a new prototype for the Rift, this time focusing on creating a higher-definition field of view and trimming up the overall design of the headset.

It wouldn't be long before more improvements were made, including upgrading the display even further. This eventually made the HD Prototype redundant, turning it into one of the few Oculus prototypes to never go on market as part of a development release.

Image Credit: Holek/Wikimedia

Page 5 of 9
Page 5 of 9
The Crystal Cove Prototype

The Crystal Cove Prototype

Eight months after the HD Prototype was unveiled, the Crystal Cove Prototype was shown off at CES 2014, complete with a shiny new external camera that allowed for improved head tracking.

It also jumped from a LCD to an OLED screen, which not only improved the overall look of games played in the Rift, but also ensured images refreshed faster.

This, in conjunction with motion tracking, reduced motion sickness - the bane of many a VR user. It also carried a lot of concepts that would be incorporated into the Rift's next big evolution.

Page 6 of 9
Page 6 of 9
The Second Development Kit (DK2)

The Second Development Kit (DK2)

Shipped in July 2014, the second Development Kit for the Oculus Rift wasn't too far a cry from the Crystal Cove Prototype. That said, DK2 was miles away from DK1, sporting a better screen, improved refresh rate, and a boosted overall aesthetic, all while trimming down excess components like DK1's external control console.

The Rift had come a long, loooong way since the early days of being held together by duct tape, but there were still some final touches left, leading us to...

Page 7 of 9
Page 7 of 9
The Crescent Bay Prototype

The Crescent Bay Prototype

We like to call this one the "homestretch edition" as the final prototype of the Rift has so much in common with the final product, from the built-in headphones to the improved 360-degree motion tracking.

Additionally, more attention was paid to the ergonomics and aesthetics, with a more comfortable headstrap, lighter construction, and slimmer casing.

While the tech on the inside will be what defines the Rift, we certainly appreciated the thought given to how it'd look and feel, especially for longer play sessions.

Page 8 of 9
Page 8 of 9
The Final Product

The Final Product

And it all comes down to this.

The version of the Rift that consumers are finding on their doorsteps this week continued improving on the Crescent Bay Prototype, including refinements to the housing and headstraps to make the device more consumer friendly

That said, the final version of the Rift didn't just tweak its looks. The refresh rate was cranked up to 90Hz, the resolution was given a boost, and the tracking was calibrated to work equally well for sitting or standing use.

It may have taken four years, seven prototypes, and who knows how many scratched concepts that never saw the light of day, but the Rift is finally ready for the world at large. A large chunk of VR's future rides on Oculus' shoulders, but thankfully ours won't be so burdened thanks to the company waiting until the right design came along before launching it.

  • TechRadar's VR Week is on!
Page 9 of 9
Page 9 of 9
TOPICS
Oculus
Parker Wilhelm
Parker Wilhelm
Parker Wilhelm is a freelance writer for TechRadar. He likes to tinker in Photoshop and talk people's ears off about Persona 4.
Read more
Does anyone care about VR anymore? It still doesn't have that "killer" app
The Valve Index VR headset
Valve deckard VR headset described as ‘quite amazing’ but there’s still no word on its launch
The Meta Quest 3 and controllers on their charging station which is itself on a wooden desk next to a lamp
Forget Android XR, I've got my eyes on Vivo's new Meta Quest 3 competitor as it could be the most important VR headset of 2025
The Valve Index
Valve leak hints that its next VR headset could be landing sooner than we realized
Google Android XR, Glasses, and Project Moohan
Google’s Android XR glasses look like its most exciting gadget in years – but the headset leaves me wanting more
The Meta Quest Pro on its charging pad on a desk, in front of a window with the curtain closed
Samsung, Apple and Meta want to use OLED in their next VR headsets – but only Meta has a plan to make it cheap
Latest in Virtual Reality Gaming
Agent 47 wearing the PSVR 2 headset
Hitman World of Assassination PSVR 2 review: the Sony VR headset's killing blow
An MTA train parked at a station
This beginner-friendly train-driving simulator is the chillest Meta Quest 3 game I've played – but it's not for everyone
Hitman's Agent 47 strangling someone while dressed as a sailor
‘Never say never’ – we ask Hitman developer if Project 007 is coming to VR, and learn how Hitman VR was fixed for PSVR 2
Agent 47 holding up duel pistols with a PSVR 2 headset outline over his head
I can’t believe it either, Hitman on PSVR 2 is actually, finally a great VR port of the World of Assassination trilogy – and my new favorite way to play the series
Meta Quest 3 in white with Batman: Arkham Shadow bundle on red background with don't miss text
Get a $50 gift card with this Meta Quest 3 + Batman Arkham Shadow bundle at Best Buy
Latest in News
Silent Hill f
Konami says newcomers can play Silent Hill f without any prior knowledge of the franchise: 'This is a completely new work independent of the series'
OnePlus 13R from the back
No iPhone, no problem – the O+ Connect app from OnePlus gives UK users Airdrop-style file sharing
Monster Hunter Wilds x Street Fighter 6 collaboration
Monster Hunter Wilds' Street Fighter 6 collaboration arrives next week featuring a new side mission and free Akuma armor set
MacBook Air 15-inch with M4 chip on a creative's desk with screen open
Apple's 18.8-inch foldable is reportedly still on track for a 2027 launch – and I hope it's a MacBook rather than an iPad
Garmin Instinct 3
Google announces surprise health upgrades for your Garmin watch
Google's screenshot examples for Material 3 Expressive designs, showing new colors, fonts, shapes, and motion effects
The latest Android 16 beta includes the Material 3 Expressive redesign and more – here’s what the update brings
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. 1
    Survey says most Gen Z-ers would marry an AI, but I've got more faith in Gen Z – and AI should stay in the friend zone
  2. 2
    No iPhone, no problem – the O+ Connect app from OnePlus gives UK users Airdrop-style file sharing
  3. 3
    My favorite phones are on sale this Memorial Day: the iPhone 16 Pro Max, Galaxy S25 Edge, and Pixel 9
  4. 4
    Coinbase admits data breach affected 69,000 customers - here's what you need to know
  5. 5
    Hurry! My top-rated standing desk gets a massive discount in the Memorial Day sales but the deal ends soon

TechRadar is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Contact Us
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Web notifications
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...