Facebook Buys Oculus Rift For $2 Billion

[osirisjem]

Facebook has just announced that it's buying Oculus Rift for $2 billion. Seriously.

"Mobile is the platform of today, and now we're also getting ready for the platforms of tomorrow," Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg says. "Oculus has the chance to create the most social platform ever, and change the way we work, play and communicate."

http://kotaku.com/facebook-buys-oculus-rift-for-2-billion-1551487939

Hmmmm.

Mark Zuckerberg: I'm excited to announce that we've agreed to acquire Oculus VR, the leader in virtual reality technology.

Our mission is to make the world more open and connected. For the past few years, this has mostly meant building mobile apps that help you share with the people you care about. We have a lot more to do on mobile, but at this point we feel we're in a position where we can start focusing on what platforms will come next to enable even more useful, entertaining and personal experiences.
This is where Oculus comes in. They build virtual reality technology, like the Oculus Rift headset. When you put it on, you enter a completely immersive computer-generated environment, like a game or a movie scene or a place far away. The incredible thing about the technology is that you feel like you're actually present in another place with other people. People who try it say it's different from anything they've ever experienced in their lives.

https://www.facebook.com/zuck/posts/10101319050523971

 

[CompassNorth]

The real sad news here is that Carmack works for Facebook.

Also he didn't just buy the Rift, he bought the company behind it.

I really don't know what to think. I really want to lose interest in it but that would be fair because I really despite facebook that much. Been waiting for Oculus Rift ever since it was announced, sucks they Iribe was chosen are their CEO. If you're wondering who that is he's the guy that sold Gaiki to Sony.

 

[Necron]

So now the oculus rift is going to become sh*t like whatsapp did?

 

[Dork]

Source please.

 

[Tom Bombadildo]

inb4EveryBitchesAboutItTurningToShit

From Zuckerberg:

After games, we're going to make Oculus a platform for many other experiences. 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.

So gaming won't take a back seat to whatever else they have planned for the Rift.


EDIT:

Source please.

http://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-to-buy-oculus-rift-for-2-billion-2014-3



EDIT2: Also from Zuckerberg:

Immersive gaming will be the first, and Oculus already has big plans here that won't be changing and we hope to accelerate. The Rift is highly anticipated by the gaming community, and there's a lot of interest from developers in building for this platform. We're going to focus on helping Oculus build out their product and develop partnerships to support more games. Oculus will continue operating independently within Facebook to achieve this.

 

[Celice]

Probably trying to take complete control over what seems to be a lucrative and profitable new technology down the line. Though I am interested in the Rift, I only can see it as an accessory--so it seems interesting that this guy would go after the entire thing so simply.

 

[Joe88]

waiting for farmville and words with friends vr editions

 

[Gahars]

Oculus Rift Kickstarter Funding: $2,437,429
Facebook Buyout: $2,000,000,000

Jesus Christ, that return.

 

[FAST6191]

Well I did not see that one coming.

 

[The Catboy]

But why? Seriously why?

 

[DinohScene]

Congratulations with the purchase of your Oculus.
To use your new VR device, sign in with your Facebook account to let us install more spyware.

Yeh, no.
Interest in Oculus dropped completely.

 

[Coto]

Wow wow.

Bye bye VR, everything that belongs to NSA sucks

 

[FAST6191]

But why? Seriously why?

Have a look at some of the reasons people considered for the whatsapp proposal. Granted there is not the option to combine names with phone numbers thing but the facebook having the air of the sinking ship about it and the need to grab a few things to hopefully stop that is still in play. Companies are odd things (Amazon is still a loss making company, pretty much always has been, and it is valued at a fortune) and business dictates the occasional odd course of action like this.

Thinking about it though this might be Facebook being worried by google glass.

 

[Tom Bombadildo]

Congratulations with the purchase of your Oculus.
To use your new VR device, sign in with your Facebook account to let us install more spyware.

Yeh, no.
Interest in Oculus dropped completely.

Except the Oculus is essentially just a stereoscopic 3D output with a gyroscope that requires no additional software to work (besides drivers). It's fine to hate Facebook and all, but try not to overreact to stuff like this, especially when they specifically state the only additions they'll be adding will be worked on by the Rift dev team themselves

 

[DinohScene]

Except the Oculus is essentially just a stereoscopic 3D output with a gyroscope that requires no additional software to work (besides drivers). It's fine to hate Facebook and all, but try not to overreact to stuff like this, especially when they specifically state the only additions they'll be adding will be worked on by the Rift dev team themselves

Knowing Facebook, installing the drivers and the tweaking tool prolly requires you to sign up for a Facebook account.

Still, it's a big no for me.

 

[CompassNorth]

But why? Seriously why?

Their CEO Brendan Iribe is know for selling companies. This was a red flag for a lot of people when he took the position.

He was the guy that sold Gaiki to Sony.
It's a shame that they got a scumbag as a CEO.

 

[GameWinner]

Not in a million years..

 

[CompassNorth]

 

[Hyro-Sama]

something something Big Brother. something something 1984.

 

[The Catboy]

Their CEO Brendan Iribe is know for selling companies. This was a red flag for a lot of people when he took the position.

He was the guy that sold Gaiki to Sony.
It's a shame that they got a scumbag as a CEO.

It seems more like he is investing in companies for cheap and selling them high prices, which sounds like a pretty fishy business practice