In today’s edition of news pieces I never expected to write but am Facebook has announced that it is buying Oculus VR, aka the company behind Oculus Rift, for the sum of $2 billion. This deal won’t affect Oculus Rift’s push into gaming and Facebook are keen to support the move, while allowing the virtual reality company to continue independently in this regard. But, according to Mark Zuckerberg, this is just the beginning of what Oculus means for the future.
“Imagine enjoying a court side seat at a game, studying in a classroom of students and teachers all over the world or consulting with a doctor face-to-face — just by putting on goggles in your home. This is really a new communication platform. By feeling truly present, you can share unbounded spaces and experiences with the people in your life. Imagine sharing not just moments with your friends online, but entire experiences and adventures.”
So a few years from now we may have Facebook Reality or something where you can put on your Facebook Rift to join your friends at a virtual show, or some other scenario. In a way it’s quite an innovative way to push VR in. On the other hand Facebook stalking will just become that bit more creepier.
Source: FacebookÂ
bmg_123
Nonononononononononononononononononononononononononono. No.
lilisdad
Nononononononononononono!Up to you then Sony.
yiddo
RIP Oculus.
It’s up to just Sony now.
SamBeThyName
Eh?! I just checked the date for an April 1st gag. Eh!? And also, Eh?!
Kennykazey
Now THAT, I did not see coming!
webby_15-0
I was so hyped for the oculus rift. It might be a bit premature, but I find this news absolutely devastating. Honestly can’t stand social media being tacked onto everything. That’s all I can picture with the oculus now; being forced to sign into facebook everytime you use it and being hammered with ads and candy crush requests :(
NotSmartEnough
I’m not sure what I feel about this. I was never confident that OR had a robust business plan for getting the consumer version into mass production; they seemed like a bunch of well meaning, very talented hobbyists.
What are they now? “Thanks for the kickstarter cash chumps, but we’re cashing out! You all thought we were chasing a vision, but we were just waiting for the price to be right!”
I do find a crumb of comfort looking back at the “evil Sony are going to ruin VR for the masses, save us OR!” posts. Things aren’t so clear cut now.
camdaz
I don’t know why but, like the posts above, I think this is bad news.
tonycawley
Don’t really see why so much negativity with this news. Everyone on Twitter etc seems to think this is bad. I think it’s good. To me, it’s like the way Google try to have their fingers in many different pies, Facebook are just doing the same thing.
They’ve already stated they fully support them continuing in the games industry, so good, but if their 2 billion dollars can help develop the vr idea and push it into various other areas of our lives, as stated above, then surely that can only be a good thing?
I really think this is just Facebook trying to diversify their portfolio of assets, surely their massive wealth and financial input will help make virtual reality, well, actual reality?
NotSmartEnough
What I’m struggling with is OR’s seamless transition from starry-eyed idealists (“consoles are too limited for what we’ve got in mind “) and darlings of the grass-roots kickstarter movement to selling out to FaceBook. Maybe they’ve secured assurances that VR will still be the preserve of the dual-Titan wielding elite, or maybe the mass-market became more appealing when it was accompanied by a truckload of cash?
SamBeThyName
I think one of the main concerns for people is that Facebook has no respect for privacy and will send players ads and friend updates all the time.
beeje13
This.
Deezoned
Oculus R.I.P.
So sad, but game on Sony!
JR.
This might not be good for Oculus but it’s great for VR in general. The more mainstream VR is the more support it gets, right?
blarty
Depends – Facebook games were interesting for a time, as were mobile games, until they became infested with ads…. Sorry but I don’t see how Facebook can look to recoup its investment except through ads or partner programmes, and even if the units take off and sales are high, having that large a number of users will be too hard for FB to resist to not push ads on them
JR.
I agree but I was thinking more along the lines that Facebook invest heavily in Oculus, promoting their ad riddled VR headset – VR goes mainstream and as a result becomes less risky for other companies to get behind ad free VR gaming. Sony Morpheus for example.