Having issues ordering Oculus Rift? You're not alone: Facebook's Oculus VR experienced a deluge of online traffic Wednesday morning as users poured in to pre-order its new product.
"We've had an incredible amount of traffic hit our site," Brendan Iribe, co-founder and CEO, told CNBC's "Fast Money: Halftime Report." "This is the most traffic we've ever had. A lot of people want to order the Rift ... We're still getting pre-orders as we speak, and so we're getting through those issues, it's because of a lot of traffic. We should be fine over the next few hours."
Virtual reality enthusiasts took to social media with complaints when they couldn't place orders for the newly available VR headset, Oculus Rift, that opened for pre-order on Wednesday morning at $599.
But Iribe told CNBC the company was trying to make sure there were no fraud attempts on credit cards, leading to a slower pace of orders.
Iribe spoke from the Consumer Electronic Show (CES) in Las Vegas, where technology companies are stationed this week to show off their newest products and partnerships. Virtual reality was touted as a highlight of the conference, with eyes on both Oculus and Microsoft's HoloLens.
"The big buzz heading into CES 2016 is around 'rolling out the red carpet' for virtual reality products/headsets/software," wrote FBR Capital Markets Managing Director Dan Ives in a research note. "After years of development, the tech world will be getting its first glimpse of the highly anticipated virtual reality systems set to hit the consumer market. ... Price points, consumer traction (e.g. gaming), and ultimately attracting the developer community/apps will be key swing factors in the long-term success of virtual reality technology in our opinion."
The gaming- and entertainment-focused Rift headsets boast new features like a lighter, more comfortable design and the Rift remote, which promises a simple and intuitive way for "non-gamers" to navigate the virtual worlds within games, Iribe said.
"It's something that you really have to see to believe," Iribe said. "You're maybe a little skeptical before. You've heard of VR in the past but it hasn't really worked. Now it does, and it works in an incredible way. We feel like once you see it, you're going to want it."
But even if you do, getting your hands on one is no small feat.
Orders are already shipping months in advance, according to the website, while retail begins in April, Iribe said. Users also need a high-powered computer to power the headsets, which Oculus offers in a bundle for $1,499.
On top of that, the challenges of developing experiences for people who are sensitive to motion sickness have plagued the virtual reality industry for some time, Iribe said. It requires developers to "do everything right" to make games widely accessible.
Eventually, Iribe envisions uses for virtual reality in enterprise, from architects to mechanics.
"We're focusing on supporting all developers — the entire development ecosystem," Iribe said. "We want to make sure it thrives. There's thousands of developers and more are signing up every day."
Shares of Facebook were up slightly Wednesday, on a day the markets were down.