Facebook's Oculus VR Headset To Include Xbox Controller

Facebook Inc. (NASDAQ: FB)'s Oculus virtual reality headset called Rift will include a game controller provided by Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) when the product launches early next year.

Oculus Partnership

Oculus disclosed the partnership Thursday, even as Microsoft is at work on its own virtual reality headset called HoloLens that may soon compete soon with Oculus.

Given Microsoft's work on HoloLens, its backing of Oculus "could be seen as unusual," according to the tech-news website The Verge. "But it's clear that Microsoft wants to support accessories for gaming on its Windows platform no matter what," The Verge stated.

Terms of the Oculus agreement with Microsoft weren't disclosed.

Related Link: Oculus Announces Accelerating Video Game Development With $10M Investment

Oculus Rift

A first-quarter 2016 launch for the Oculus Rift headset, in development for several years, got announced last month, although pricing hasn't been disclosed.

Developer versions of the Oculus Rift have been available for several years, and the company also helped to develop the Samsung Gear VR, which launched last year and is currently sold at retail for about $200.

"It's one of the best controllers in the world," Oculus said of the Microsoft Xbox pad, adding that virtual reality products will "transform gaming, film, entertainment, communication, and much more."

Oculus was acquired last year for $2 billion by Facebook.

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