I wasn't aware that the Touch controllers even had a release date set for them given that every bit of communication from the Oculus team was about the Rift and the upcoming preorders.

So its unsurprising to hear that the Touch controllers are being delayed until the second half of 2016 with the preorders opening a couple of months before launch.

Here's what the Oculus team had to say about the delay:

"On Touch hardware, we’ve made significant advances in ergonomics, and we’re implementing many changes that make Touch even more comfortable, reliable, and natural. We’re also implementing changes that improve hand pose recognition.

There will be a huge amount of ground-breaking new content launching alongside Touch. We shared a handful of early previews at Oculus Connect 2 in September, but we can’t wait to show you what’s coming next.

The feedback on Touch has been incredibly positive, and we know this new timeline will produce an even better product, one that will set the bar for VR input. We appreciate your patience and promise Touch will be worth the wait."

Personally I'm more than fine with the Touch being delayed because having good motion controls is going to be absolutely instrumental to the success of VR technology. Playing with a VR headset on and using a keyboard/mouse or a controller just doesn't have the same feeling of immersion behind it, so hopefully the Touch manages to deliver.

What I'm really interested in however is how the Touch will compare to HTC's Vive controllers given that the whole Vive package is being delayed due to a "technological breakthrough" which seems to be related to the controllers. Alas, to find out the answer to that question we'll have to wait a few more month.

The Rift's release will be unaffected by this delay and it remains scheduled for Q1 2016 with preorders launching very soon, so keep your eyes peeled for that. Also worth noting is that the Occulus Rift preorders will be coming with a free copy of EVE Valkyrie.

As a final note, am I the only one that still can't get over the fact that actual virtual reality headsets are arriving relatively soon? Only a few years ago all of this seemed like science fiction yet here we are, with not one but three different headsets heading towards market. We really do live in interesting times.