Today we’re excited to share more details about our retail plans for Rift, which launches at 48 Best Buy stores on May 7 as part of The Intel Experience. Later this summer, we’ll start offering even more in-store Rift demos at additional Best Buy locations.

For many, this is a first chance to jump into truly immersive VR. We’ll have a variety of experiences that everyone can enjoy, including VR vignettes with Oculus Dreamdeck. Ultimate thrill seekers will be able to experience what it’s like rock climbing on the side of a cliff with The Climb, and in the coming weeks, you’ll be able to explore the beautiful alien world of Farlands.

Get a taste of the death-defying leaps and jaw-dropping vistas in The Climb

A small number of Rifts will be available for purchase at select Best Buy stores starting May 7 and online from Microsoft and Amazon, starting May 6 at 9am PST. Quantities will be extremely limited while we catch up on Rift pre-orders.

We know that many pre-order customers are still waiting for their Rifts, so we’re offering those customers a chance to purchase Rift from retail instead – while keeping their pre-order benefits, like the EVE: Valkyrie Founder’s Pack and priority status for Touch pre-orders. Starting May 6th, if you’re interested, simply go to your order status and let us know you’ve purchased a Rift at retail, and we’ll cancel your pre-order. Your EVE: Valkyrie entitlement will appear in your order history.

Schedule your Rift demo with Oculus Live

We’re also introducing Oculus Live to help you schedule a Rift demo at Best Buy locations up to a month in advance.

Search by zip code or city to find Rift demos at Best Buy locations near you and stay up-to-date as new Oculus demo locations become available.

We can’t wait to bring Rift to more people worldwide. Stay tuned as we introduce international locations in Canada and Europe this fall.

– The Oculus Team