Tomorrow marks the fifth anniversary of Oculus launching its Kickstarter campaign for the Rift, kickstarting not just a VR headset but a new era of enthusiasm around the technology in the process. The company promised a device that would “change gaming forever,” and made its pitch with the endorsements of some big names in the industry, including id Software’s John Carmack and Valve’s Michael Abrash (both now with Oculus), Epic Games’ Cliff Bleszinski (now with Boss Key), Unity CEO David Helgason (now merely a board member), and Valve’s Gabe Newell (still with Valve).
Featured alongside those leading lights was then-unknown Palmer Luckey, Oculus founder and Rift designer, explaining how the whole project began in his parent’s garage in Long Beach, California.
“There was nothing that gave me the experience that I wanted: The Matrix, where I can plug in and actually be in the game,” Luckey said. “And I was sure that somewhere out there, there was something I could buy. And the reality is there’s nothing. I set out to change that with the Oculus Rift.”
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Source: Games Industry