SONY Sony Group Corporation

A parts shortage is delaying some shipments of Oculus VR's virtual-reality headsets.

The Facebook Inc. unit said an "unexpected component shortage" would slow deliveries of its new $599 Oculus Rift headsets for some customers.

Oculus didn't specify the affected components, the expected length of the delay or how many shipments would be affected. A spokeswoman didn't respond to a request for comment. Oculus said in an email that affected customers would get updated shipping dates on April 12.

The delay is a setback for Oculus, which started shipping the Rift last week, to mixed reviews tied to its high cost and potential for discomfort. The Rift runs from a high-powered PC; packages for the headset and compatible PC start around $1,500.

In an email sent to customers, Oculus said it would pay shipping costs for all preordered Rifts.

"First set of Rifts are going out slower than we [originally] estimated, so we're giving free shipping for all preorders, including international," Oculus CEO Brendan Iribe said in a message on Twitter on Saturday.

Facebook acquired Oculus for $2 billion in 2014, and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has said virtual reality will be the next big computing and communications platform. But the unit isn't expected to chip in meaningfully to Facebook's bottom line for many years.

Piper Jaffray & Co. analyst Gene Munster expects Oculus will sell about 500,000 Rift units this year, representing about 1% of Facebook's revenue.

Daniel Taylor of Fort Wright, Ky., preordered a Rift on Jan. 6, and had previously been told he would receive it in May. He said he wasn't upset about the delay in part because it means he'll save about $50 on shipping costs. He spent roughly $1,600 on a computer powerful enough to handle the device. Mr. Taylor, a business-operations analyst for a bank, also said he's used to waiting for new technology.

"I am somebody who waited in line eight hours for a Wii the day it was released and eight hours for the first iPad," said the 30-year-old. "It's part and parcel of the process."

The Rift, the first headset developed and shipped by Oculus, is the first of three high-end headsets due out this year that aim to immerse users in virtual reality. The Vive headset, designed by HTC Corp. in conjunction with Valve Corp., is scheduled to ship Tuesday and costs around $799. Sony Corp.'s PlayStation VR is due out in October for $399.

Both of Oculus's rivals have also faced setbacks. HTC said Saturday that some customers' preorders were inadvertently canceled, because of "processing issues with financial institutions." HTC said it was working to resolve the problem and had already reinstated some orders.

Sony originally planned to release the PlayStation VR in the first half of this year. Last month, the company said it would push back the launch to October to ensure it ships enough units and has a wide variety of software available. Before then, Sony plans to sell a more powerful version of its PlayStation 4 machine to handle higher-end game experiences, including virtual reality.

Write to Deepa Seetharaman at Deepa.Seetharaman@wsj.com and Sarah E. Needleman at sarah.needleman@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

April 03, 2016 22:25 ET (02:25 GMT)

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