Facebook's VR firm Oculus offers shipping refund Published duration 4 April 2016

image copyright Oculus image caption The game Lucky's Tale is included with every headset

Facebook-owned virtual reality firm Oculus is offering shipping refunds on all pre-ordered devices following delays.

The first headsets were due to have arrived with customers on 28 March, but many are still waiting.

The firm has blamed an "unexpected component shortage" and says customers should receive updated news on their orders by 12 April.

Oculus founder Palmer Luckey said he had no further information to share.

Mr Luckey was responding to a thread on Reddit, the world's largest community forum, which appealed directly to him.

image copyright Twitter image caption The Chief Executive of Oculus tweeted about the shipping refund.

"Don't shunt blame to other people, this is my call," he wrote.

"I am not going to wax poetic about this, since I have done so in the past, but bottom-line: I won't give in-depth updates on any situation without knowing it is solid, true, and finalised.

"Until I can do so, the best I can do is remind people that I will get them information as quickly as I can."

Mr Luckey personally delivered the first Rift headset to a customer in Alaska last week. He posted a video of the handover on Facebook.

Rival VR headset the HTC Vive is set to ship on 5 April.