Oculus Adds 'Elite: Dangerous' As A Rift Launch Title

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Games like EVE: Valkyrie showed us that cockpit-based sci-fi games work in VR, so it’s no surprise that Elite: Dangerous will be available on the Oculus Rift when it comes out on March 28.

This means that Elite: Dangerous will be playable on even more platforms. At the moment, you can play it on Windows, Mac and the Xbox One. For VR, you will be able to play the game on either the Oculus Rift or the HTC Vive. Last September, Frontier Developments also announced that it would support SteamVR and the HTC Vive platform at launch.

If you own a copy of the base game (or the additional Horizons expansion), you can get the Oculus version for free when it launches alongside the VR HMD. As always, you’ll be able to play with friends across various platforms, so you can continue your space adventures together whether you’re playing on the PC, Xbox One or in virtual reality. If you own it on Steam, the game should also be available under the SteamVR section of your library.

For Oculus and HTC/Valve, Elite: Dangerous is a major asset, especially at launch. One of the issues with VR concerns having enough content available at launch, and some of those titles are from small or unknown developers. Elite: Dangerous is a well-known game, and it has many players on PC, Mac and Xbox One. By adding it as a launch title, both companies could use it to attract more people to its VR devices as well as the waves of upcoming content from both AAA and independent developers.

Follow Rexly Peñaflorida II @Heirdeux. Follow us @tomshardware, on Facebook and on Google+.

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Rexly Peñaflorida
5 Comments Comment from the forums
  • eklipz330
    how often do you think these headsets will have upgrades? yearly? every two years?
    Reply
  • Jim90
    That's good and unexpected news! wasn't sure if this would be ready at launch.

    eklipz330: high end VR (anything linked to PC) heavily dependant on latest gfx card tech i.e. expect major (e.g. resolution, fov (though possible focal point dependency interesting)) upgrades to match timeline / general gfx card uptake.
    Reply
  • Digmeahole
    "As always, you’ll be able to play with friends across various platforms"

    What?
    Reply
  • Dunzaus
    how often do you think these headsets will have upgrades? yearly? every two years?

    They are both meant to last for 2 years. Which is why I shake my head when I read comments from people that say they will wait 2 years because then the current headsets will be cheaper.
    Reply
  • 8R_Scotch
    I got into ED thinking of VR, it's no surprise... although you'll have a more traditional gaming experience on Valkyre, with more action and goals, ED is sort of like Truck Simulator for space... although it features combat and you can focus on that, the sort of vast explorative aspect of it makes it a longer lasting title and specially suited for VR.

    I'm curious about the minimum specs though, for the Vive Frontier said you'd need a GTX 980, Oculus minimum specs include only a GTX 970... this would imply that the VR version of ED on Oculus would be downgraded somehow, as it wouldn't do to have an "Oculus Ready" system and get a sub-optimal experience on a launch title. Hm...
    Reply