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Facebook has acquired Oculus VR for 2 Billion US Dollars
- Thread starter ShogunDarius
- Start date
Whipped Spartan
Member
This was all about that payday. Founders are rich. Investors are rich.
Haha...Kaz, you're so awesome.
Anyway, I wonder about the Kickstarter backers. Will they get their headsets, or have they already gotten them?
Burgerface
Neo Member
Exactly, did everyone whining in this thread think OR was making games??? They are just developing the technology. Its up to the actual game devs to make software.
HUELEN10
Member
EULA will probably state that it collects and sends anonymized data to Facebook based on activity at the very least. That would not surprise me, and that alone would make me want to stay away. Same reason why some people don't use google. It is something we will just have to wait and see.
Why would comments from the Oculus team matter shit?
They're employees now. If Facebook decide that they're going to run whitelisted apps to avoid bad PR from the first Rift porn and the staff don't like it, then their options will be acquiesce or learn where the door is.
Majukun
Member
oculus was already not stopping at gaming in the first place.
facebook bought a bunch of companies recently, and didn't interfere with them that much.
so i think it's actually good news..financially wise oculus was at a tremendous disavantage against sony and "morpheus",now they have barely any risk since they have such a huge company behind them, and can just focus on spread a VR set in every home..after that, the games (with pretty much any kind of application) will arrive as a consequence
facebook bought a bunch of companies recently, and didn't interfere with them that much.
so i think it's actually good news..financially wise oculus was at a tremendous disavantage against sony and "morpheus",now they have barely any risk since they have such a huge company behind them, and can just focus on spread a VR set in every home..after that, the games (with pretty much any kind of application) will arrive as a consequence
WhiskeyKnight
Member
What's strange is that Palmer Luckey never struck me as someone who cared too much about money. He always seemed much more motivated by the work itself. This just doesn't make any sense.
The focus will probably shift to more of a mass-market product.
Screw 1440p and AMOLED, and who cares about a few dozen milliseconds of extra latency. This thing has got to end up on shelves as cheap as possible.
Good for VR adoption maybe, but terrible for the promise of high-end gaming.
Screw 1440p and AMOLED, and who cares about a few dozen milliseconds of extra latency. This thing has got to end up on shelves as cheap as possible.
Good for VR adoption maybe, but terrible for the promise of high-end gaming.
SkeptiMism
Member
That's because their strategy with acquisitions has usually been that they get the companies out of the market. This hasn't been the case with Instagram and WhatsApp and isn't the case with OR either.
therealPeterman
Neo Member
Welp, I'm out. Bought the SDK1 and have loved every second with it. After this news I'll probably never touch it again.
There fucking better be a benefit offered to the wife/girlfriend/family of Andrew Scott Reisse.
I am a habitually optimistic person, this however feels antithetical to the original mission statement of Oculus VR. Since Reisse was sadly unable to weigh in on the decision to sell, it would be highly respectable if there was an effort made to compensate his family. He was a Co-founder after all.
I'm sure the whole team is overjoyed and decided this was the right thing to do but judging by the pages in this thread, I'm not alone in saying this feels like the worst kind of sell-out.
I am a habitually optimistic person, this however feels antithetical to the original mission statement of Oculus VR. Since Reisse was sadly unable to weigh in on the decision to sell, it would be highly respectable if there was an effort made to compensate his family. He was a Co-founder after all.
I'm sure the whole team is overjoyed and decided this was the right thing to do but judging by the pages in this thread, I'm not alone in saying this feels like the worst kind of sell-out.
That's not the point of KS. You are not an investor. If you wanted to invest in OR you could have phoned up Palmer Luckey a couple years ago and signed some contracts and gotten a piece of his company etc.
If you KS'd an OR then you got your dev kit and that's it.
The site is meant to kick start small businesses with crowd-funded cash without the kinds of strings that a single large investor would command.
If you don't like the idea of a KS company growing, then don't invest.
A small one-time influx of cash at the beginning stages helps many companies "kick-start" themselves so they can get polished prototypes in the hands of REAL investors.
KS is a kind of charity. I consider myself lucky to get a "reward." KS is not a preorder, it is not buying a percentage of a company, it is giving strings free money to struggling entrepreneurs in hopes that you can help them succeed.
Haha, I got quoted a lot here. What can I say, I'm a optimist. Many things that I listed are a "wishlist", but thats precisely what 95% of people are doing here with calling up end of the world.
I'm interested in both Oculus and Morpheus, but after this news at least one thing is certain. VR is here to stay [and Sony needs to step up even more now].
good one
I'm interested in both Oculus and Morpheus, but after this news at least one thing is certain. VR is here to stay [and Sony needs to step up even more now].
good one
Honestly if there's anything to watch with this thing it's Carmack. If he bails within the next 6-12 months it's probably a good sign to permanently close the book on the Rift.
Ol No Bones
Banned
To bad its not April 1.
It's not just about VR, it's companies like FB making deals like this in the industry. They make money on selling you to advertisers. Mobile and facebook as a part of mobile is hurting the industry. The ripple affects are already there.
flyinpiranha
Member
flyinpiranha likes this.
Well, I'm sort of indifferent. This can go any way now. I'm not a person who thinks Facebook is evil, it's a choice for people to use it. I personally like it. I don't post what I don't want people to see and I don't friend people who I don't want to be friends with, it's really fucking simple.
With that said, I think they both have the same visions. While we know games will be part of the VR movement (if not the 'first step') we all knew other mediums were going to follow; tourism, music, movies, etc ... and most of all, social interaction. They are right, both companies saw what it could be used for and where it may be headed. This is going to be the video phone reinvented, MMO space (come on, a lot of people spend most of their time on an MMO just shooting the shit anyway ... ), tourism, teaching, therapeutic, the list goes on.
I would feel the same if Google, MS, or Sony bought them. The only company where I would think "oh shit, now we're going somewhere!" if they acquired them was Valve. Valve beats to a different drum.
I really hope they don't close development or implement an 'app store' like policy for games and media. I want the porn, I want the shitty single developing-for-first-time games or 'visions', I want the big games, the small games. I want everything that it being an OPEN platform brings. As long as that door is still open and doesn't require a key, we're good.
I know this will be buried amongst the anger, but honestly think about it. This could be a very good thing to finally get this going.
Well, I'm sort of indifferent. This can go any way now. I'm not a person who thinks Facebook is evil, it's a choice for people to use it. I personally like it. I don't post what I don't want people to see and I don't friend people who I don't want to be friends with, it's really fucking simple.
With that said, I think they both have the same visions. While we know games will be part of the VR movement (if not the 'first step') we all knew other mediums were going to follow; tourism, music, movies, etc ... and most of all, social interaction. They are right, both companies saw what it could be used for and where it may be headed. This is going to be the video phone reinvented, MMO space (come on, a lot of people spend most of their time on an MMO just shooting the shit anyway ... ), tourism, teaching, therapeutic, the list goes on.
I would feel the same if Google, MS, or Sony bought them. The only company where I would think "oh shit, now we're going somewhere!" if they acquired them was Valve. Valve beats to a different drum.
I really hope they don't close development or implement an 'app store' like policy for games and media. I want the porn, I want the shitty single developing-for-first-time games or 'visions', I want the big games, the small games. I want everything that it being an OPEN platform brings. As long as that door is still open and doesn't require a key, we're good.
I know this will be buried amongst the anger, but honestly think about it. This could be a very good thing to finally get this going.
Mobile! Mobile! Mobile! Ads! Ads! Ads! Monetization! Monetization! Monetization! Whales! Whales! Whales!
Oh look, something terrible from Polygon.
Matrix XII
Member
What a disaster.
I can't believe this.
I can't believe this.
Jex
Member
Well said. I was far too lazy to respond to all the individual points!
it's EA, they are most likely already making their own Origin branded Rift inferior clone.
Thanks ;D
Forensic Scene
Member
Holy shit.
Unbound By Death
Member
So professional.
Is this whole thing a hail mary play by Facebook to stop the trend of being looked at as uncool by teenagers and to hook 13-20olds up with "cheap" VR?
I have a really uneasy feeling about this. Imagine the potential for addiction if a mega-corporation like FACEBOOK uses all the tricks out of the psychological playbook.
I have a really uneasy feeling about this. Imagine the potential for addiction if a mega-corporation like FACEBOOK uses all the tricks out of the psychological playbook.
Poetic.Injustice
Member
This is terrible news..well we just need more competitors in the VR field, It's the only way to even things out.
Quite a megaton.
And a big win for Sony.
Since a) that prices their Morpheus also at 2billion.
and b) "Gamers" will prefer Morpheus to Oculus now.
For Oculus this is obviously also a win. All those FB users now using Oculus. From a niche product to a mass market product. (Lol, they wish. FB will never see their 2billion back). Plus they are rich. And they don't have to share with their Kickstarter investors. (Who most likely want their money back, it already has begun on the KS page).
And a big win for Sony.
Since a) that prices their Morpheus also at 2billion.
and b) "Gamers" will prefer Morpheus to Oculus now.
For Oculus this is obviously also a win. All those FB users now using Oculus. From a niche product to a mass market product. (Lol, they wish. FB will never see their 2billion back). Plus they are rich. And they don't have to share with their Kickstarter investors. (Who most likely want their money back, it already has begun on the KS page).
TheFLYINGManga_Ka
Member
Well, at least we have Sony.
Anyone think the creators sold Oculous now since they realized they'd make more money selling it to a big corp rather than having to battle Sony and their VR?
Anyone think the creators sold Oculous now since they realized they'd make more money selling it to a big corp rather than having to battle Sony and their VR?
A reminder that Facebook is almost entirely an advertising platform and that is unlikely to change.
The fastest growing area? Mobile ads.
Exactly I just don't see the optimism right now. They literally make their money from selling you shite you do not need. Mental news. Fucking Mars.
smokeandmirrors
Banned
You can contribute to open source software without needing to make your whole website open source.
GetemMa
Member
Why would they do that ?
Just to be nice?
You haven't offered a reason. Just wishful thinking.
Paracelsus
Member
Someone not selling out to the mainstream plague that killed gaming during the 7th generation of consoles is a good thing.
strikeselect
You like me, you really really like me!
Or the short version:
mattiewheels
And then the LORD David Bowie saith to his Son, Jonny Depp: 'Go, and spread my image amongst the cosmos. For every living thing is in anguish and only the LIGHT shall give them reprieve.'
He seems motivated to secure enough funding to realize this thing to full potential. They probably convinced him they'll stay out of the way and just let him realize it.
jim-jam bongs
Member
TAJ
Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
Yes, but it still leaves a bad taste.
It's like handing a homeless guy a ten and then seeing him the next day after his $300 million lotto win and him just saying, "Did you hear? I'm rich, biaaaatch."
It's bad enough that the people you donate to aren't obligated to deliver.
EDIT:I posted this before I saw that gif a few back.