Oculus Rift: What We Know About the Virtual Reality Headset Consumer Release

— -- The wait for the hotly anticipated Oculus Rift headset is almost over -- if you can just sit tight through the new year.

While Oculus, the company Facebook acquired last year for $2 billion, has a developer's headset on the market, the company has been keeping quiet about when it plans to bring virtual reality to consumers -- until today.

Pre-orders for the consumer version of the virtual reality goggles will begin later this year. The first customers will be able to strap on the eyewear in the comfort of their own homes beginning in the first quarter of 2016, according to an Oculus blog post.

The company did not give specific dates for the release, but teased a headset that will have updated ergonomics to give it a more natural fit.

While today's news is a step toward virtual reality for the masses, Oculus also promised to give more details in the coming weeks on what kind of hardware, software, experiences and games will be ready for the consumer device.

Another missing piece: The company has yet to reveal how much the goggles will cost.