Oculus Rift Core 2.0 release date, beta details and new features

Announced in December 2017, Oculus claims that the Oculus Rift Core 2.0 update is the “beginning of an exciting new chapter for Rift”. It offers new features to enhance multitasking, a better Home environment and more for Oculus Rift owners. The best part? There’s a beta available to download right now to get a sneak peek.

Here’s everything we know about Oculus Rift Core 2.0, from the latest release date rumours to beta details and the best new features.

Oculus Rift Core 2.0 release date rumours

The big question is “when will it be available?” and sadly, there’s no solid release date in sight. The good news is that there’s currently a public beta available for keen Rift users to try out, allowing you to preview the new features of Rift Core 2.0 right now. There hasn’t been much in the way of stability complaints either, so fingers crossed it won’t be in beta testing for too long!

We will, of course, update this section when we get more information, so be sure to check back regularly. In the meantime, why don’t you check out our selection of the best Oculus Rift games?

Oculus Rift Core 2.0 beta details

Though there’s no solid release date, as mentioned above, you can join in the public beta test right now. You’ll get to experience all the new features of Core 2.0 while helping to squash any bugs that you come across.

But before you sign up, Oculus advises that you update your GPU drivers, install Windows 10 (it’ll still work on Windows 7 & 8, but you won’t get all features) and invest in Touch controllers if you haven’t already done so. Oculus claims that while the Xbox One controller is still supported, it’s a touch-first design and certain elements require virtual interaction and thus won’t be available via a standard controller.

To gain access, simply follow these instructions:

1. Open the Oculus app on your PC.
2. Select Settings > Beta and switch the ‘Use Classic Home’ toggle off to opt-in to the beta.
3. The update should then begin to download and install.

If you find that it’s too buggy for you, you can always revert back to the latest publicly-available update by toggling the ‘Use Classic Home’ switch back on.

What’s new in Oculus Rift Core 2.0?

So, what is it that makes Oculus Rift Core 2.0 exciting for Oculus Rift owners?

Dash & Oculus Desktop

Dash is the biggest new addition to the Oculus Rift experience, and it looks impressive. The aim is to blend the VR and non-VR apps on your PC in one place, allowing you to access things like Facebook or Spotify from within the headset, in a comfy virtual home environment or even mid-game if it supports virtual overlays.

You’ll also be able to pull out individual desktop applications from within Dash and pin them into your VR experience – even once the Dash overlay has been hidden. This could allow VR streamers the ability to see comments from fans while in the headset without having to pause the game, or allow virtual artists to create 3D art in Tiltbrush based on a jpeg from their PC.  

New Oculus Home

Home is homelier than ever in Core 2.0, allowing you to customise your virtual space in any way you want. You can browse from a range of surfaces and objects to place in your virtual Home, but you can also go one step further and create your own personalised objects and share them with other users. You could be a virtual interior designer! You’ll also gain unlockable items as you play more VR games and experiences – you’ll get virtual display boxes and cartridges, trophies and more.

Beyond the creation of new objects, you’ll actually be able to interact with virtual objects of all shapes and sizes, making the space feel a little more real.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a virtual Home without a virtual neighbourhood, so Oculus Rift Core 2.0 also allows you to visit your friends’ houses to see what they have created.

We’ll be sure to update this article as soon as we hear anything, so don’t forget to check back soon and follow Tech Advisor Gaming on Twitter.