Mainstream virtual-reality headsets still on the horizon

It’s becoming increasingly clear that the future of video games is likely to include some form of virtual reality. At least in the early going, that means virtual-reality headsets like the still-in-development Oculus Rift. But how quickly will these VR devices hit living rooms?

The question became a little easier to answer last week when Sony announced its “Project Morpheus” device will be out the first half of 2016. The company showed off a new prototype version at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco. There, a new competitor emerged, a device called Vive from hardware maker HTC and game company Valve. That device could be out as early as the end of this year, HTC said.

And the Facebook-owned Oculus Rift? That device, which began as a Kickstarter project, continues to be developed, but there’s been no firm release window. There’s still hope we could see a consumer version of it this year.