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[Cuyejo]

I don´t get the negativity AT ALL.

The way I see it Oculus would never have made it to the real market without a significant amount of cash from an external source.

Selling a bunch of dev kits over the internet and being on shelves in a Best Buy are two very different things..

The Oculus guys have been waving their VR glasses in front of Sony, Microsoft and Valve for 2 years now and they didn´t go for it.

Instead at least Sony and Valve decided to simply copy what Oculus have been doing.

If you are looking for a bully here it´s Sony and Valve and absolutely not Facebook.

I even think Oculus was at risk of going out of business because of Sony and Valve.

Right now NOTHING has changed - and I don´t think Facebooks vision is Candy Crush VR.

Why don´t we all just relax for a bit.

It's unfair to say Sony and Valve simply copied the OR, when they've been doing their own thing in the field for awhile, so I don't get this sentiment, specially Valve, who provided some guidance in the ongoing development of the Rift.

Also, regarding all this whole Facebook acquisition affair, I personally think this is a kiss of death for the Oculus, still anything can happen so let's see.

 

[Betta Lines]

Without any doubt, their focus will not be 100% gaming anymore. They already said in PR that there are many possible uses outside of gaming.

Of course, it does not mean that OR wont end up being awesome gaming product... but there is no doubt that the focus will be changed, even if only by a bit.

But they already talked about other uses outside gaming before Facebook got involved.

And their focus was always going to change in the future. If Facebook hadn't bought them, they would still be exploring social aspects of VR (and everything Facebook is talking about) in the future.

 

[shinra-bansho]

Well, Facebook didn't bought Ouya for a reason. Do you think Facebook is buying Occulus because it's a niche product, and it always will be, or it sees potential in this tech to become the next disruptive platform of entertainment delivery?

There's a big difference between thinking something is the next disruptive platform and a) that product actually being a disruptive platform and b) being able to execute a strategy to make a product the next disruptive platform.

Again, I don't really see what FB is bringing to the table (other than a lot of money obviously) that makes execution of successful mass market VR a given.

 

[Billen]

While I feel concerns are valid (as with any acquisition), I'd like to bring up (if it hasn't been already) Instagram. Instagram was acquired by Facebook almost a year ago, yet does not require (please correct me if I'm wrong) a Facebook account to use. Instead it uses its own systems and services, and can in fact be linked to other non-Facebook services like Twitter and Flickr without ever making the connection to Facebook.

I don't use Instagram so can only go off my research, but it appears despite being owned by Facebook the "Facebook" part is not invasive and instead completely optional.

Consider a scenario where you have the same mail address tied to both Facebook and Instagram. In that case you don't need to connect the dots, they do it themselves.

 

[Cygnus X-1]

The issue with this assumption is that most of the payout was in stock, not cash. So sure - the investors got some pretty fat checks after the sale. But they still have a vested interest in keeping up their end of the bargin - turning a profit to ensure that stock keeps rising. The fact that the core Oculus team is still staying put is testament to this fact.

Think about your new status, your new job, the doors opened to you. Not only by pure cash, but from the power derived from the 2 billion $ that are entitled to you anyway. It's a massive jump and change in your lifestyle. Even Roger Federer earned "just" 500 millions $ in his career b/n trophies and sponsors. Think about starting with some millions and then receiving an offer that will transform you in one of the few billionaire of the planet.

 

[Turin Turambar]

Well yea besides the added advertisements. So that means Oculus + ads?

Instagram is a free app/service. Even if it wasn't bought by FB, it was going to have ads.f

Oculus Rift is a physical device, not software. Oculus Rift will cost moneys, it won't be free. Different cases.


But it's true the Instagram example is telling. In that case, it would make sense to somehow integrate or absorb Instagram into FB, but they still haven't made it. If they don't do it even when it makes sense, how they are going to absorb Oculus, which is a screen with some sensors?

 

[Corto]

There's a big difference between thinking something is the next disruptive platform and a) that product actually being a disruptive platform and b) being able to execute a strategy to make a product the next disruptive platform.

Of course. And 2 billion dollars can make the difference. Emphasis on can.

 

[Exotoro]

welp, there goes any chance of me using it

i don't want to support this company

 

[Fallout-NL]

There's a difference between having "enough" resources to build a decent product, and having enough resources to get your own display designed to your specifications and have your product advertised by Facebook.

I'm not particularly happy about this, but it's hard to deny the immediate benefits.

Yeah, I suppose that's true.

 

[StoppedInTracks]

If anything this could mean cheaper Consumer Version of the Oculus being sold. Hell, FB might even eat the losses and sell it cheaper than manufacturing costs.

Interesting times ahead.

 

[Waveset]

So much entitlement around Kickstarter. You backed a project you believe in, got your DK1 and now you're bitter over their success.
Kickstarter - the clue's in the name.

 

[lt519]

Ready Player One

 

[Jzero]

I just opened the Instagram app and flicked around for a few minutes. Didn't see a single ad.

Oh they're there, I've seen them. Thankfully they are not intrusive and don't pop up that often. I could see ads being added to games being played on the rift. Kinda like the billboards in some video games just different in that they would be dynamic.

 

[SaberEdge]

During a piece of entertainment? Probably not. I'd imagine it would operate more like the unskippable garbage that front-loads most DVD and Blu-Rays today. For everything. Watch a movie? 3 minutes of ads. Play a game? 60 seconds of ads. Take a virtual tour of Mt St Michaels? 2 minutes of ads. Head into Facebook-started VR Space? Continual pop-up ads for your duration.
Of course, they might start to look at incorporating advertisements into games and VR experiences more heavily, as they've got a toe in the industry now. Locally rendered imagery allows them to do that seamlessly with an active internet connection, ensuring up-to-date advertisements constantly. Signs in a virtual museum, billboards in games, updated dialogue for your virtual tour guide.
If you think this is far fetched, remember: they paid US$2b for OR. Currently, their gross revenue is less than US$8b a year. They'll need to milk OR for this to balance out and start turning a self-sufficient profit. And if VR catches on, then one of the largest advertisers in the world is there to steer the birth medium - more ads for everyone!

Not gonna happen. They'll put ads in their future VR social apps, but they won't plaster ads in our games or movies. It hasn't even happened to any great extent on consoles and that is the first place you would expect to see such a thing. The PC is too open to control. Competitors can easily step in and offer a better product. The only way to stay ahead is to offer a product or service that is better than your competitor's.

Oculus doesn't want to put ads in games, and even if they did, they know that it would never fly with VR users. Immersion is the name of the game in VR. If they kill immersion, they know that they are killing their shot at VR. Some other competitor would step in and take away their market share.

 

[AHA-Lambda]

Guys I have a serious question here...do you think it would have been better if Amazon bought it? I mean they seem to be 'gearing up' right?



Edit: I don't care that they were bought out personally. This is just for discussion.

As a hypothetical, I don't think I'd mind if it was Amazon.

 

[mrklaw]

there won't be any ads in your face, or popping up in the middle of games, that's just silly talk.

Of course there will be ads, and very targetted ones. Facebook wants to be the company creating the virtual worlds we'll be walking around in, chatting to our friends. So that those ads that appear in those virtual worlds are making money for facebook.

The worst case for facebook is someone else creating the next 'facebook' - i.e the next social space. If that is a VR space created by google for example - then they risk losing a ton of advertising.

For now this doesn't change much. Oculus need to prove the tech which means selling games and experiences initially. So this is more a hedge for facebook, plus probably not a little of Zuckerberg buying in because it's damn cool

 

[DemonNite]

as expected, the office is buzzing this morning with this news

 

[TheForceWithin]

Some nice shilling going on in Reddit threads.

 

[CadetMahoney]

Some nice shilling going on in Reddit threads.

It's dat dere facebook money floating around paying for shills.

 

[Exotoro]

Not gonna happen. They'll put ads in their future VR social apps, but they won't plaster ads in our games or movies. It hasn't even happened to any great extent on consoles and that is the first place you would expect to see such a thing. The PC is too open to control. Competitors can easily step in and offer a better product. The only way to stay ahead is to offer a product or service that is better than your competitor's.

this is why facebook buying the rift is bad though. if they feel like they're being behind, they'll buy whoever is in front.

 

[LAA]

Not really sure what to think of this. It was shocking news, (I was like Whhaatttt!?), and my first feeling was of panic ha ha.
But really I don't see the VR coming installed with ads or Facebook required to use it ha ha, however I think it's foolish to think FB gave them $2b!! for nothing.
I think it'd be foolish for FB to just stop the VR track and change direction now, it's gotten popular because of its track. I think it would be most wise for them to leave it to reach its final destination, then with that investment they can have OR support FB natively or something. Something that may not have happened before the investment. I think I can count on them using it for Facebook in someway. Will it ruin the VR gaming dream? Probably not really. It is just a monitor. I am concerned about focus being taken off gaming, which I think it will kinda eventually, but I hope that will only be after the gaming support for VR is well and truly finalised and anyone can make for VR flawlessly.

 

[SparkTR]

While I feel concerns are valid (as with any acquisition), I'd like to bring up (if it hasn't been already) Instagram. Instagram was acquired by Facebook almost a year ago, yet does not require (please correct me if I'm wrong) a Facebook account to use. Instead it uses its own systems and services, and can in fact be linked to other non-Facebook services like Twitter and Flickr without ever making the connection to Facebook.

I don't use Instagram so can only go off my research, but it appears despite being owned by Facebook the "Facebook" part is not invasive and instead completely optional.

It's the same with WhatsApp (?) so far. Facebook as a platform is approaching it's use by date, so they're branching out to other avenues. Tethering them to their sinking ship isn't the best business.

 

[level44]

If you are looking for a bully here it´s Sony and Valve and absolutely not Facebook.

lol

 

[level44]

as expected, the office is buzzing this morning with this news

Do you work for Facebook?

 

[Aaron]

Didn't Oculus raise a lot of that $93 million as a result of publicity from the kickstarter campaign, though?

Mentioned this in the other thread, but that sort of investment is very common in the tech world, and rarely has anything to do with kickstarter. That bogus console the Phantom got over $50 million in investments. Right now there's a ton of capital to be had for people with the right pitch and product. I'm sure the exposure gained via kickstarter helped up their asking price, though Google bought Boston Dynamics for an 'undisclosed sum' and I don't remember their kickstarter.

 

[DerZuhälter]

Don't get the huuuuuuuge negativety everywhere around this issue.

I truely believe FB won't affect Rift (except for maybe a rebranding), because it's already too far along. VR-Gaming is happening and it won't be stopped by this deal. To the contrary, I think it will be better now in the short term.

What happens in the long term though? I have no clue. Considering Oculus had no real "long-term" strategy beyond: "We'll release CV1, but we have no idea when.".

Taking VR to the "social and communication" stage? Might be horrible, might be awesome. But the cash-rain on Oculus now, will benefit CV1. I really believe it. Long-term though should be the thing to be frightened about.

 

[ashecitism]

Do you work for Facebook?

Sony.

 

[Haunted]

Some nice shilling going on in Reddit threads.

Whoops, looks like a Facebook astroturfer forgot to log into the correct account before making the posts. >_>

 

[Cromat]

Anyone here who looks down on the Oculus guys for taking the money is either a hypocrite, a liar or an idiot. Possibly all three.

 

[Exotoro]

Don't get the huuuuuuuge negativety everywhere around this issue.

I truely believe FB won't affect Rift (except for maybe a rebranding), because it's already too far along. VR-Gaming is happening and it won't be stopped by this deal. To the contrary, I think it will be better now in the short term.

What happens in the long term though? I have no clue. Considering Oculus had no real "long-term" strategy beyond: "We'll release CV1, but we have no idea when.".

Taking VR to the "social and communication" stage? Might be horrible, might be awesome. But the cash-rain on Oculus now, will benefit CV1. I really believe it. Long-term though should be the thing to be frightened about.

shouldn't you be more concerned about the long term as opposed to the short term?

 

[SparkTR]

Don't get the huuuuuuuge negativety everywhere around this issue.

I truely believe FB won't affect Rift (except for maybe a rebranding), because it's already too far along. VR-Gaming is happening and it won't be stopped by this deal. To the contrary, I think it will be better now in the short term.

What happens in the long term though? I have no clue. Considering Oculus had no real "long-term" strategy beyond: "We'll release CV1, but we have no idea when.".

Taking VR to the "social and communication" stage? Might be horrible, might be awesome. But the cash-rain on Oculus now, will benefit CV1. I really believe it. Long-term though should be the thing to be frightened about.

They did have a long term plan. Android phones, medical, architecture, tourism and education industries. That's when VR is going to take off, but it was never expected to happen for another 5 years from now at least. Hell, John Carmack was apparently working primarily on Android implementation.

 

[Kouriozan]

Some nice shilling going on in Reddit threads.

Is this for real? x)

 

[Guy.brush]

From TechCrunch:

As for exactly how Facebook will monetize Oculus, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said on the call to investors, "We're clearly not a hardware company. We're not going to try to make a profit off of the hardware long-term...but if we can make this a network where people are communicating, and buying virtual goods, and there might be ads down the line...that’s where the business could come from."

http://techcrunch.com/2014/03/25/why-facebook-bought-oculus/

 

[Rising_Hei]

Sony should be smart and be really open with project morpheus then.

After knowing this i have the feeling that many people have been fooled out (kickstar backers)

The Nvidia K1 is already more powerful than an Xbox 360/PS3. I'm sure the K2 could handle 360 level graphics using VR.

Even if it's more powerful it doesn't mean that you'll be seen games that look as good as their graphics.
There's more to it to graphic than raw power, plus mobile phones run out of battery in no time if they use their whole power

 

[Faith]

They did have a long term plan. Android phones, medical, architecture, tourism and education industries. That's when VR going to take off, but it was never expected to happen for another 5 years from now at least.

All these things Mark Zuckerberg mentioned yesterday.

 

[Ziltoid]

But it's true the Instagram example is telling. In that case, it would make sense to somehow integrate or absorb Instagram into FB, but they still haven't made it. If they don't do it even when it makes sense, how they are going to absorb Oculus, which is a screen with some sensors?

The obvious answer is data minig and forced ads in the Oculus API, but I don't think Facebook is that stupid. The Rift is a niche device that requires powerful hardware to run. The people that have that kind of hardware is usually somewhat tech-savy and will dump the Rift like a steaming turd if Facebook did something like that.

Ordinary people will probably not adopt the Rift because of the required hardware and most people don't like too strap devices to their face (see 3D glasses). They absolutely need the goodwill of early adopters if they really want VR to take off. They could dumb down the Rift by lowering the specs to fit a smaller form-factor, but then they have a product that neither the niche or mainstream wants.

I think it'll turn out okay

Spoiler

Hopefully.

.

 

[kartu]

The Oculus guys have been waving their VR glasses in front of Sony, Microsoft and Valve for 2 years now and they didn´t go for it.

Instead at least Sony and Valve decided to simply copy what Oculus have been doing.

 

[Waveset]

They did have a long term plan. Android phones, medical, architecture, tourism and education industries. That's when VR going to take off, but it was never expected to happen for another 5 years from now at least. Hell, John Carmack was apparently working primarily on Android implementation.

Exactly, all talked about and demos shown off pre-FB and yet people are now losing their shit about it being used for non-gaming applications.

 

[SparkTR]

All these things Mark Zuckerberg mentioned yesterday.

And all these things Sony mentioned during their Morpheus reveal (well, except Android. I'm sure they have their proprietary OS for that). That's the end goal of VR for everyone. It's the primary reason why Oculus wanted to be on open platforms.

 

[StuBurns]

http://cdn2.dualshockers.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/m_5328ea70ee614_s.jpg[IMG][/QUOTE]
Apparently Valve also 'identified' applicable VR before Palmer's KS.

 

[DerZuhälter]

shouldn't you be more concerned about the long term as opposed to the short term?

10 years from now?

Sorry, just spit out my piss filtered water on to my solar panel powered completely compostable green laptop.

Seriously though. Worrying about stuff that far along, you'll make yourself crazy. And I don't think that the social/communication application has to necessarily effect the gaming side of things negatively.

They did have a long term plan. Android phones, medical, architecture, tourism and education industries. That's when VR is going to take off, but it was never expected to happen for another 5 years from now at least. Hell, John Carmack was apparently working primarily on Android implementation.

I think industries outside of gaming, are already more than pleased with the product quality where they are at now. They were paying exorbitant amounts of money for shittier and uncomfortable experiences. I don't believe the technical needs for where VR has to be for these industries outgrow those of gaming.

 

[Super Stardust]

Dont worry guys we still have Sony

Spoiler

and hopefully Microsoft

VR for games

 

[Opinionatedfish]

It's all business apparently.

Oh! I think I said in another thread that the F2P model of monetization would be seen as a better way for indie developers and product makers because there was going to be some sort of large, mostly venomous backlash to Kickstarted projects in the future...

Hmm.. after skimming through some of the responses to this on NeoGaf, Reddit, and other sites... I think I shall sit here and drink a nice big glass of "I told you so."

MMMmm.. it's delicious.


My opinion on this is that it's weird and I want to see how the effect this has on the final product. That is, if a final product ever hits market.

 

[scsa]

Hope they treat the project well.
I don't like fb as an entity, too intrusive. Hope, the rift doesn't get pushed towards social gaming such as hay day and farm ville and ends up being a lost soul.
Would love to see this event's implications on Morpheus, if any.

 

[TheForceWithin]

Is this for real? x)

Yep, some more.

http://www.reddit.com/r/HailCorporate/comments/21d2we/facebook_announces_that_it_acquired_occulus_shill/

 

[D4Danger]

From TechCrunch:


http://techcrunch.com/2014/03/25/why-facebook-bought-oculus/

It reminds me of the time eBay bought Skype. They felt like the future was passing them by so made a big purchase with half an idea of what to do with it.

 

[Durante]

I think you are proving his point. What you see there is clearly a modified HMZ, while Sony's current VR approach is a HMD following the Luckey/Carmack design. (Single large screen, high FoV, tiny optics, software correction of the resulting barrel distortion)

 

[Wiktor]

Dont worry guys we still have Sony

Spoiler

and hopefully Microsoft

VR for games

VR won't go far if all it had to rely on in Sony.

 

[SparkTR]

It's all business apparently.

Oh! I think I said in another thread that the F2P model of monetization would be seen as a better way for indie developers and product makers because there was going to be some sort of large, mostly venomous backlash to Kickstarted projects in the future...

Hmm.. after skimming through some of the responses to this on NeoGaf, Reddit, and other sites... I think I shall sit here and drink a nice big glass of "I told you so."

MMMmm.. it's delicious.


My opinion on this is that it's weird and I want to see how the effect this has on the final product. That is, if a final product ever hits market.

Nevermind the plethora of gaming related Kickstarter projects that have been successful and well received by the community. I guess you forgot about those?

 

[Agent Gibbs]

and so it begins paid facebook employees are defending the move across the internet

when Occulus is launched they'll be able to beam these messages via adds to your occulus when they buy the next thing