Oculus has finally unveiled the consumer version of its virtual reality headset, the Rift, along with a release date in quarter one of 2016.

The Facebook-owned virtual reality company, which began life through Kickstarter, has long been showing off developer-only versions of the headset, but until now no version of the Rift has officially been available to consumers.

In an email release to fans and followers of Oculus, the company said that the consumer version would be building on the most recent developer version, the Crescent Bay prototype, which was unveiled at the end of 2014. Crescent Bay wowed attendees at this year’s CES event in Las Vegas, and has fuelled the already growing appetite for a consumer virtual reality headset.

However, while Crescent Bay had a distinctly glitzy appearance, the consumer Rift is a highly subtle affair, styled in a sleek matt black with what Oculus is calling a “highly refined industrial design”. The company has also upped the ergonomics, so it is likely the consumer headset will be more comfortable to wear for long periods of time.

Oculus has said that it will be taking pre-orders for the Rift, which is likely to begin shipping in around February 2016, later this year, and appears to have big plans to build excitement for the headset.

In the release, the company promised more announcements in the coming weeks, no doubt to answer the question of what exactly people will do with their rifts once they get them.

“In the weeks ahead, we’ll be revealing the details around hardware, software, input, and many of our unannounced made-for-VR games and experiences coming to the Rift,” the company said.

“Next week, we’ll share more of the technical specifications here on the Oculus blog.”

Those planning to make use of the Rift for gaming purposes should also keep an eye out at this year’s E3, happening in mid-June, as Oculus made reference to the infamous gaming event with the promise “this is only the beginning”.

No price point has been announced for the Rift, but is expected to be within the $200 – $400 (£150 – £300) price bracket, making it an attractive option for consumers captured by the excitement of VR.

The headset will have hot competition for the HTC Vive, however, the headset by gaming giants Valve that is set for release later this year. The Vive is expected to have a higher price point, so Oculus stands a good chance of capturing a significant chunk of the market.

Sony’s PS4 peripheral, Project Morpheus, is also set for an early 2016 release date, meaning virtual reality headsets are finally becoming the consumer product we’ve been promised.

Whether the Rift ultimately leads the pack remains to be seen, but with high brand recognition and a sleek finish, it stands a good chance of becoming the VR headset of choice.