Despite the hype around the second coming of virtual reality (90’s kids will understand the reference), much of it has sounded like vaporware…until now.

Tech and consumer giant Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. is going first to market with their new Gear VR headset now available for order with a shipping date of November 20.

The new Gear VR is said to be lighter than the previous Innovator Edition and features among other things “improved ergonomics” plus a new touchpad that delivers “easier navigation.”

Not surprisingly Samsung has also improved the compatibility of the device versus its pre-release models with the Gear VR now compatible with even more Samsung smartphones including the Galaxy Note 5, Galaxy S6 edge+, S6, and S6 edge.

The release of the Gear VR headset naturally comes complete with a range of new VR games, including titles such Land’s End by Ustwo Games, Bandit Six: Salvo by Climax Studios, and Dead Secret by Robot Invader; further titles including Gunjack by CCP and Anshar Wars 2 by OZWE are said to be coming soon.

Surprising perhaps given we’re suppose to be in 2015 and virtual reality is the future, not the past, also being released at the same time is the “Oculus Arcade,” a literal 1980’s throwback that allows users to play old-school arcade games in a virtual reality environment including Pac-Man, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Gauntlet.

Gear VR also comes with support for Netflix as well as a service called “Oculus Video” which offers more than 70 feature-length films from 20th Century Fox and Lionsgate.

Billy Mays

It might be somewhat cliched to say “but wait, there’s more” but like the late Billy Mays there is indeed more with the Gear VR also coming with service called “Oculus 360 Photos” that  offers 200,000 immersive photos that allow users to explore the surroundings in 360 degrees and “step into breathtaking scenes captured by some of the world’s leading photographers.”

The biggest surprise, perhaps, particularly given some of the prices being bandied about from what will eventually become Samsung Gear VR’s rivals, is what Samsung is charging; Samsung is selling the device for $99.

Yes, not ~$500 or more, but only $99.

Even if some people remain skeptical about the second coming of virtual reality (note, mostly the writer of the post) $99 is a price point where you couldn’t care less and you’d buy one without thinking twice about it.

The first to market status of the Samsung Gear VR headset can’t be mentioned enough either (let alone the price) as this is a market, despite the hype around Oculus Rift, Magic Leap, and others, Samsung could own.

Samsung Gear VR is now available for pre-order via Amazon, BestBuy and other major retailers.

Image credit: pestoverde/Flickr/CC by 2.0