Everything appears to be moving along right on schedule for the release of the Oculus Rift virtual reality headset, but it seems that the company has run into a bit of trouble with its Oculus Touch motion controllers, which are meant to go with the device.

“On the path to perfecting Touch, we’ve decided that we need more time before release, and we’ll now be shipping Touch in the second half of 2016,” Oculus said on its blog. “Pre-orders will open a few months prior to launch.”

The company assured consumers that the Rift headset is still on schedule for release in the first quarter of 2016, but the Touch controller functionality has been one of the big selling points for the VR device, as Touch allows users to interact with virtual objects in a tactile manner closer to real life.

Oculus was quick to point out that it has made some improvements to the Touch controllers that will make the wait worthwhile.

“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,” Oculus said. “We’re also implementing changes that improve hand pose recognition.”

“We’re also outputting larger numbers of pre-production runs, which means we can get a lot more Touch hardware in the hands of developers who need it.”

According to Oculus, there will be a number of new VR programs and games launching with Touch that will take full advantage of the controller’s unique form factor and input style. The company noted that it had already shown off some of these programs at September’s Oculus Connect event, but it promises that there is plenty more to come.

The Oculus team concluded, “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.”

Photo by Nabeel H