The explosion of virtual reality (VR) content, thanks in large part to the Oculus Rift, requires a wireless motion controller a la the Xbox Kinect. Traditionally that could pose a problem to game and content developers, but Sixense, the creator of the popular Razer Hydra, has announced it’s creating a wireless controller that’s fully compatible with Oculus Rift.
The Sixense development kit is expected to be the first on the market, and it will focus on the development side of things. With the new wireless controller in hand, developers will be able to create even more VR content, particularly with the Oculus Rift in mind (it was a hit at E3). After releasing this developer version, Sixense will turn its focus to a consumer version of the wireless motion controller.
Sixense will release development kits that will support three wireless motion trackers. The dev kit will include fully playable controllers compatible with games and applications developed for existing Sixense-powered products, including the Razer Hydra.
The dev kits will allow Sixense to work directly with developers to create software for the upcoming consumer version or to develop their own controllers and motion tracking devices. Again, though, the most likely scenario in the early going of the Sixense controller’s life is to see it implemented in games for the Oculus Rift.
“We’re excited to finally provide a wireless solution that addresses the needs of both consumers and developers,” said Amir Rubin, co-founder of Sixense. “The ecosystem around gaming and virtual reality has grown dramatically, making now the perfect time to announce our new consumer product and direct-to-developer dev kits.”