At least Facebook won't confine us to the iTunes storefront.
-
Hey Guest. Check out your NeoGAF Wrapped 2025 results here!
Facebook has acquired Oculus VR for 2 Billion US Dollars
- Thread starter ShogunDarius
- Start date
Thank you for posting this. Honestly a lot of the people who seem perplexed by the response clearly haven't been following OR from the beginning. That much seems very clear. Its frustrating to try to explain it too, especially when you can still find this stuff on the internet.
Gaming was absolutely the #1 focus. It was going to have other applications sure, but gaming was THE one.
People question that focus now, for good reason.
TAJ
Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
Have you?
Have you at least looked at the Oculus one?
All of the tiers below $275 were basically donations, (the bottom tier literally was) and the top tier, also. The top tier was even open-ended. If you wanted to give $20,000 instead of $5,000, you could.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=didzxUkrtS0
So with sadness in my heart
I feel the best thing I could do is end it all and leave forever
What's done is done, it feels so bad
What once was happy now is sad
I'll never love again
My world is ending
So with sadness in my heart
I feel the best thing I could do is end it all and leave forever
What's done is done, it feels so bad
What once was happy now is sad
I'll never love again
My world is ending
This is sorely disappointing... not that it won't allow Oculus to build better headsets sooner - but because now they're just part of another massive corporation, beholden to corporate expectations.
To be honest, if Oculus *had* to be bought by a giant corporation, I really would've hoped it would've been Microsoft.
Oculus + Kinect... goes hand in hand very well.
I think Mark knows what the prize is here though...
Facebook Metaverse.
Our VR future is going to be controlled by facebook...
In the meantime... If Luckey is going to redeem himself in anyway here... he better use the extra resources to put together the motion input side of VR - the headset alone isn't a complete VR package for anybody.
To be honest, if Oculus *had* to be bought by a giant corporation, I really would've hoped it would've been Microsoft.
Oculus + Kinect... goes hand in hand very well.
I think Mark knows what the prize is here though...
Facebook Metaverse.
Our VR future is going to be controlled by facebook...
In the meantime... If Luckey is going to redeem himself in anyway here... he better use the extra resources to put together the motion input side of VR - the headset alone isn't a complete VR package for anybody.
ITT: people who think VR hardware is somehow locked to proprietary software that Facebook now control in some way.
Naysayers have no idea what they're talking about, this investment has nothing to do with completely derailing Oculus hardware development to insert an ad serving platform. The reason for the acquisition is that FB obviously wants in on the ground floor of an industry they see rapid growth of in the next couple of years. By acquiring the leading VR hardware/software team in the world they are giving themselves a competitive advantage whenever VR takes off, in terms of experimenting with implementation of VR apps, how socialising within VR could work, etc. What this means is that, for example, whenever sports teams, theatres, concerts etc start selling digital seating through VR, Facebook have given themselves a much better bargaining position as the payments provider for these kinds of transactions by being a de facto choice (in terms of quality and market presence) early on. This allows Facebook to completely sidestep entrenched media stores (Google Play Music, iTunes) and beat them to the marketplace for what is basically a new medium (VR media).
None of this negatively impacts the headset, which is a piece of hardware. If anything the price of high quality components will be driven down much more quickly over time once Facebook and other companies start sourcing VR display components in bulk similarly to smartphones.
Naysayers have no idea what they're talking about, this investment has nothing to do with completely derailing Oculus hardware development to insert an ad serving platform. The reason for the acquisition is that FB obviously wants in on the ground floor of an industry they see rapid growth of in the next couple of years. By acquiring the leading VR hardware/software team in the world they are giving themselves a competitive advantage whenever VR takes off, in terms of experimenting with implementation of VR apps, how socialising within VR could work, etc. What this means is that, for example, whenever sports teams, theatres, concerts etc start selling digital seating through VR, Facebook have given themselves a much better bargaining position as the payments provider for these kinds of transactions by being a de facto choice (in terms of quality and market presence) early on. This allows Facebook to completely sidestep entrenched media stores (Google Play Music, iTunes) and beat them to the marketplace for what is basically a new medium (VR media).
None of this negatively impacts the headset, which is a piece of hardware. If anything the price of high quality components will be driven down much more quickly over time once Facebook and other companies start sourcing VR display components in bulk similarly to smartphones.
AustinFelix
Unconfirmed Member
Glad someone else here sees it for what it is.
Pai Pai Master
Banned
I'm curious about their stance on Oculus now. Before they said they didn't see them as competition - they are both working to push VR and will both benefit from it.
Wonder if their outlook is as flowery now that Facebook is breathing down their neck and not a small-time startup.
Palmer Luckey on the Anakin Skywalker comparison of today's Facebook acquisition
"Anakin went through some rough times, but he did bring balance to the force!
This ensures that virtual reality will come to fruition. It cannot be stopped by anything, and we will have a lot of crazy stuff to show off in the fairly near future. Have faith!"
"Anakin went through some rough times, but he did bring balance to the force!
This ensures that virtual reality will come to fruition. It cannot be stopped by anything, and we will have a lot of crazy stuff to show off in the fairly near future. Have faith!"
blankempathy
Member
Nope they'll use a facebook store. You can purchase stuff in exchange for Likes. One game? They'll be 20000 likes .
Oh you sure got me.
How will I live knowing I failed at grammar on a language that was only thaught to me from first grade to fourth grade? How will I, a portuguese, carry on knowing that the knowledge I got when I was 6 years old, failed me?
Well that remains to be seen.
VR fits nowhere into anything that Facebook has been dealing with.
Instagram - photos - checks out
Whatsapp - messaging - checks out
VR - FarmVille? Dafaq?
Raonak
Banned
360 degree cameras exist for those sorts of things.
but then you can't have body tracking nor 3D which is one of the main selling points of VR.
MrChocolate
Member
Stolen from /v/
SkeptiMism
Member
I'm pretty sure you can't. A developer can promise to refund if it fails, but I'm pretty sure they're not obliged to. There's always a risk with kickstarters and some projects fail and some go to different directions from the original plan.
Kadayi
Banned
Bit of a surprise, but the investment is certainly going to pay dividends. I suspect the viewpoint is one of bringing the gamer version to market first as a field test. Probably have a couple of iterations ongoing, then look at releasing a more general consumer friendly version a few years down the road. Be interesting to see how they intend to leverage it. 3D cams are surely going to be the rage.
Betta Lines
Member
VR is a huge deal for the entire entertainment industry, and many others beyond. It could be the most significant tech product since the home computer. Facebook know that it's in their best interests to let Oculus do what needs to be done to stay relevant in the VR space. I can't even imagine how Facebook can mess it up. They've specifically said that the Oculus team will continue to work independently. This is not anything like EA screwing-over an indie developer.
Mushroomer25
Member
And you were never promised a share of the company, or any say in its' future. I can mail Pepsi a check for $50 million dollars, that doesn't mean I immediately get a share of their profits & say "Bring Back Crystal Pepsi!" at the next board meeting. Investments don't work like that.
LegendOfGood
Member
I believe Jeff Goldblum's line from Jurassic Park fits well here: "You didn't earn the knowledge for yourselves...You stood on the shoulders of geniuses to accomplish something as fast as you could, and before you even knew what you had, you patented it, and packaged it, and slapped it on a plastic lunchbox, and now you're selling it, you wanna sell it!"
Cow Goes Moo
Member
ChrisMahoney
Banned
People need to realize Oculus Rift isn't a video game developer. They're a hardware company. This can only help Oculus. The largest Facebook acquisitons by many orders of magnitude: Instagram and Whatsapp. Both independent and still running. Facebook is already a big hardware company. Look up OpenCompute.
They did initially market this for gamers, but from the outset, it wasn't all about games. If you read the very beginnings of the Rift on the MTBS forums, you'll read that gaming was just a conduit for realizing VR, not the sole goal. They've talked a lot since then about how they wanted to expand beyond gaming and change the world.
Update your .plan if you're okay.
Go_Ly_Dow
Member
Need VR adblock stat.
"Please Sign in to Facebook to use your Occulus Rift device..."
"You have 20 likes, would you like to see them?"
"Some one posted to your time line, your mom says 'Why haven't you called, are you ok?!' "
"Oh you're using the baseball interactive experience, would you like to buy tickets to a game?"
"It looks like you need more health in this game, it's only $0.99 per potion"
Welcome to FaceBook's Occulus Rift experience...
"You have 20 likes, would you like to see them?"
"Some one posted to your time line, your mom says 'Why haven't you called, are you ok?!' "
"Oh you're using the baseball interactive experience, would you like to buy tickets to a game?"
"It looks like you need more health in this game, it's only $0.99 per potion"
Welcome to FaceBook's Occulus Rift experience...
BlastProcessing
Member
360 degree cameras already exist. http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/10/geonautes-360-degree-sports-camera/
You just place those around a sporting event and let users choose their perspective.
OverdriveOtaku
Member
Tell that to the millions of iPod, iPhone and iPad owners that connect them to Windows PCs for the last 10+ years.
Mad Hatter
Member
I have no worries about the hardware side of things due to this.
The big thing to be worried about here, I think, is the potential Facebook has to screw over the SDK with all kinds of legal bullshit and licenses. The hardware will be great, but I'm going to guess that Facebook will kill or limit any innovation or competing services from outside of its offices.
The big thing to be worried about here, I think, is the potential Facebook has to screw over the SDK with all kinds of legal bullshit and licenses. The hardware will be great, but I'm going to guess that Facebook will kill or limit any innovation or competing services from outside of its offices.
Sylverstone14
Member
Why... why, oh why? WHY?
Ken Masters
Banned
Maybe... Perhaps... Facebook wants to do different things besides social media
I don't know what your point is. Square-Enix have published some of my favorite games of the past few years. Deus Ex Human Revolution, Thief, Tomb Raider and Sleeping Dogs are all great games that I enjoyed a lot.
Because I do know those people are giving their own money to make other people rich while getting absolutely nothing in return.
There's a word for that. And several expressions too.
vpance
Member
Carmack better brush up on his PHP skills.
bobawesome
Member
Stolen from /v/
How disgusting.
Will wait for ASUS vr.
dripdripsplash
Member
What the fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck
But maybe this can spread VR to the mainstream giving Sony the ability to capitalize on the popularity but actually making video games for it.
But maybe this can spread VR to the mainstream giving Sony the ability to capitalize on the popularity but actually making video games for it.
Mushroomer25
Member
Considering Facebook doesn't already have a massive content storefront, I think it's safe to say "No.".
This is also why Valve buying Oculus would be worse than the Facebook purchase. Valve would ensure Steam was the ONLY storefront compatible with the Rift, and kill the engaging indie dev scene. Facebook doesn't care what's on the Rift. They care about what's on Oculus' next invention, a massive tube that you live in instead of engaging with the real world.
Sleepy Buddha
Member
... and my interest in Oculus just vanished...
I don't see how the vision of the future most people on this forum were hoping for has any chance of happening. Before this I thought Morpheus was not going to have any chance, now I'm thinking it's actually Oculus that's dead. I'm exagerating but that's how it feels.
I don't see how the vision of the future most people on this forum were hoping for has any chance of happening. Before this I thought Morpheus was not going to have any chance, now I'm thinking it's actually Oculus that's dead. I'm exagerating but that's how it feels.