It looks like the HTC Vive won’t be the only virtual reality headset supported by Elite: Dangerous after all. New drivers for the Oculus Rift will be ready in time for the device’s March debut, developer Frontier Developments confirmed on Friday, though it’s believed SteamVR will remain the primary development platform for Frontier Developments’ VR pursuits.
Back in January, Elite: Dangerous made headlines when Frontier confirmed it was no longer supporting the Oculus Rift in an official capacity. Instead, the company would switch focus to SteamVR, making the HTC Vive the studio’s new go-to VR headset. For thousands of Elite: Dangerous players, who’d planned to buy the Rift when pre-orders opened, it was pretty much the worst-case scenario. Thankfully, it sounds like all you explorers, pirates and space truckers out there can rest easy because Frontier says Elite will feature Rift support by the time Oculus’ first consumer-ready VR headset hits stores later this month.
The news comes via a new report from Eurogamer, published on Friday morning, which also outlines the studio’s plans for bringing Elite: Dangerous to the Rift. Those who wish to play Frontier’s space sim on the Rift will need to purchase a new Deluxe Edition, featuring the base game, Elite: Dangerous Horizons and some cosmetic items, from the Oculus Store. Existing users will be able to generate a code for a free copy via their Frontier accounts. Sadly, the report doesn’t include a price for the Elite: Dangerous Deluxe Edition; however, it’s worth noting that a bundle with the same name is listed on the Steam for $59.99.
Be sure to check back with iDigitalTimes.com and follow Scott on Twitter for additional Elite: Dangerous coverage throughout 2016 and for however long Frontier Developments supports Elite: Dangerous in the years to come.
