Oculus announces the standalone $199 Oculus Go, and the Oculus Rift is now cheaper

Oculus has made two announcements that should bring VR technology to more people.

Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg announced the new Oculus Go, a cheaper VR option that does not require other hardware, at the Oculus Connect 4 conference today, as reported by Ars Technica. It will be priced at $199, and is part of the company's (rather ambitious) goal of getting over 1 billion people worldwide to use their VR products.

The device will apparently have compatibility with Gear VR software, and development kits will start going out in November. It won't have the same raw power as the more advanced VR headsets on the market, of course, but it's aimed as an accessible entry-point device. It looks similar to the Gear, except without the expectation that you'll buy a Samsung phone to go with it.

You can sign up to get notified about availability and further details at the Oculus Go site, which is full of promo pics and marketing.

Meanwhile, the temporary Oculus Rift price drop has been announced as a permanent change. The device now carries a $399 price tag, making it a more affordable VR entry point than it once was. The device launched at $599, and there are now more options on the market.

We should have more details about the Oculus Go closer to its launch some time in 2018.