I'm so tempted to say "Oculus Rift Dev kit for sale. Going fast or going in the trash." Instead I'll wait a little while and see how FarceBook interferes. Damn... I'm so disappointed. I wonder how Carmack feels now and if id will take him back.
Lifted you don't know what you are talking about. The devil is in the details and in this case FB essentially has a equal representation in Oculus so Oculus is still independent and was not absorbed as many here seem to think. Your idea on what occurred here could not be farther from the truth.
That's hilarious. FB bought it lock, stock and barrel and FB has total control. They can step in whenever they want, probably when the existing management becomes to much of a pain in the backside.
Meanwhile "true believers" have been sold a bill of goods. The good guys took the money and ran.
if oculus was a "social" experience, it wouldn't involve blinding yourself to the world around you with a head mounted display, and deafening you to the world around you with a nice set of headphones. It is a complete slap in the face to those of us with dev kits, and developing software, to have contributed so much money to the project only to have zuck & co step in and destroy the reputation that has been building. Valve is a better fit for a buy, hell even Microsoft, Sony, or Nintendo would be better parents. At least that lot has a history in gaming that extends further than telling Zynga to rip off other people's games.
I may be joining you in the "Oculus Rift Dev kit for sale. Going fast or going in the trash." sale....
You seem to have a strange idea of what "social" means these days. People are already in their own world, using their phones for social aspects while ignoring those around them. VR is the next obvious step, shutting out that pesky outside world completely.
Besides, Facebook really is a better choice for VR than any game related company. VR games are a niche product, even for gamers. VR needs other apps to really take off.
So true... I see many 20-somethings buried so deep in their cell phones they might as well be on Mars, they're so oblivious to the people and things around them.
Welcome to Unbelievably Crazy Technology News. The top story is the joint sellout of major Kickstarter efforts, Star Citizen has officially been sold to Zynga. They're integrating it into their joint efforts with Facebook on the Oculus Rift.
In other news, Sony has bought in its entirety by Apple for 1 billion dollars and 2 free Macbook Pro's. The PS4 was renamed the AppleTV Pro. Sony's VR unit is going to be called, Apple iSight for AppleTV Pro. Subsequently, many previously available Android versions of old Playstation titles are being released on iTunes for iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, and AppleTV Pro.
Elsewhere, Microsoft has purchased Valve for 101 billion dollars. Steam will be integrated into Windows and renamed, "Xbox Gaming for Windows." Microsoft is promising that Steam will operate independently otherwise and that SteamOS's release will not be impacted. In fact, Microsoft is rumored to be spinning Xbox One down in favor of a new initiative based on SteamOS called, "XboxPC." Rumor has it the only major change to SteamOS is the changing out of the Linux kernel for the Windows 8 kernel and the ability to swap out the OS freely and easily for a locked down, closed system of isolation. Major publishers are highly supportive of the move. Rumors also suggest a major factor in the purchase was the acquisition of Valve's highly praised VR technology prototypes that were not to hit market... until now.
Elsewhere, Nintendo will lower the price on 3DS a bit more and release an add-on they're calling, "The Nintendo Strap-On" that despite its name allows you to strap the the 3DS not where you're thinking, but instead on your face. It includes a pair of "eyecups" that you stick on your eyesockets and then pull the 3DS on tight. Unique technology allows the 3DS to them simulate a VR headset. Nintendo is expected to announce a $99.99 price point for the Nintendo Strap-on. Nintendo's own Reggie is said to have been so excited, he screamed, "I love strap-on's!"
And finally in today's top technology news, Google is said to have woke up this morning and looked around at the VR landscape. Then scratched their heads.
That's it for Unbelievably Crazy Technology News. Back to you, Bob.
Very sad. Oculus doesn't have consumer hardware, games, or any users and already Facebook is trying to set up some greedy business model where they will be able to recoup the billions they invested. Why couldn't they make their own platform to compete with Sony's version while letting Oculus be a collaborative community platform?
Except FB doesn't actually control Oculus. FB owns the stock but the BOD is equal representation so they are still independent. I'm sure there are provisions in there preventing BODs replacement for a long time. No doubt you will see little or no influence from FB here for a really long time.
Noooooo, fecking Facebook ruining everything. So much for the VR dream. Hopefully Valve comes out with their own model but I'm sure every competing company that's currently developing one right now has enough patented that no single model can be a good experience.
And here I was really, really looking forward to Occulus Rift... Goodbye interest in it. Hopefully someone else develops a competing hardware. I see nothing but bad in the future now that Facebook is at the helm.
I never bought into the Oculus hype, but it was an interesting device with a lot of promise that I was looking forward to it coming to fruition.
What I'm really disappointed in is that they'd sell themselves out to an outfit like Facebook when they owe their very existence to funding from the community via Kickstarter. It's something of a betrayal, from my point of view. You know Facebook has no interest in furthering the future of gaming or any other goal other than how they can combine this with their main revenue stream: advertising.
Sony's VR platform is looking a lot more appealing alluvasudden. Sony's no angel, to be sure, but hey, at least they aren't Facebook.
Lucky me I didn't pre-order this thing. In a few years we will be total slaves of facebook, apple, microsoft and google. I never had/will have a facebook account, neither an apple product nor a microsoft machine, although I payed for an XP and 7 license, and I am stuck with gmail since I have it since it got started.
That's monopoly, buy everything to eliminate competition and also kill new ideas.
Let's take a minute and think about it from a different angle. 1) A large number of people with money in their pockets don't do hardcore gaming. 2) There are more players active in farmville at any given point of time than Steam servers for any one game. 3) You need money to do research, specially for products that will be an everyday use object in the future. Going by these points, I say that this isn't a completly bad move. Oculus needs more money for research. Mr. Zuckerberg has a revolutionary idea for the future of social networking, something that we haven't been able to imagine yet. If it is a win win situation for both companies then it is fine I'd say.
But I digress, I'm sad and depressed by this news. I wanted unadulterated VR gaming. Now I can imagine pop ups telling me to pay $$ for buying normal/high power ammo to kill opponents. I'd only get free weak ammo otherwise...
I wanted the Rift to be a PC enthusiast VR device with a gaming focus, not a social media platform. I was looking forward to building a new PC with a GTX 880 once CV1 came out. Now, I worry that the specs on the Rift will suffer with Facebook catering to the masses with low end PCs.
However, I realize that from a business perspective I'm in the minority, and more users means more money for R&D. As long as the Rift is developed as JUST a VR device that anyone can develop for, without any Facebook DRM garbage (hardware or software), then this might turn out OK. I try to just think of it as a new type of monitor, where the quality of the image and what's displayed will still entirely depend on the user. If that's not the case, then this is very sad news.
I wonder if Oculus VR were secretly holding out on a final release of their product waiting for a take over. The thing I think about now is the CEO of facebook under pressure from shareholders wanting their share price to go up higher and Zuckerberg thinking "I know!, lets sell each Oculus headset for $1200!" Especially if you pay $2b for the company.
Oculus doesn't have consumer hardware, games, or any users and already Facebook is trying to set up some greedy business model where they will be able to recoup the billions they invested. Why couldn't they make their own platform to compete with Sony's version while letting Oculus be a collaborative community platform? http://num.to/268839892477
I wouldn't worry about this too much FB didn't try to control WhatsApp or Instagram at all and they won't try to control Oculus. The details would be in the operating agreement between Oculus and FB but I would guess they are prevented from directly controlling the company and is a common practice in this type of acquisition. It looks like a lot of people really don't understand how these work and think poof it's now FB and nothing could be farther from the truth.
You live in a fantasy world where you think the owner of a company doesn't control it. I'm not sure what you think an "operating agreement" is but I'm guessing that at any point if the existing staff don't like what FB want to do their choices are (a) leave. Sooner or later FB will get whatever they want out of Oculus, most probably sooner.
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45 Comments
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tipoo - Tuesday, March 25, 2014 - link
Save us, Lord GabeN!feeblegoat - Tuesday, March 25, 2014 - link
Well seeing as valve is working on vr (they were cooperating with oculus, not sure now), Gabe just might save us.Gadgety - Tuesday, March 25, 2014 - link
Visionary Luckey got another one on board.da_asmodai - Wednesday, March 26, 2014 - link
That would have been great. But it's not Luckey that got anyone on board. It's Zuckerberg that got Luckey on board.Guwapo77 - Tuesday, March 25, 2014 - link
Remember Demolition Man when nobody could have sex? mmhmm... ...and it's only just the beginning.Nicodemus_mm - Tuesday, March 25, 2014 - link
I'm so tempted to say "Oculus Rift Dev kit for sale. Going fast or going in the trash." Instead I'll wait a little while and see how FarceBook interferes. Damn... I'm so disappointed. I wonder how Carmack feels now and if id will take him back.Makaveli - Tuesday, March 25, 2014 - link
Add another notch to the I didn't see this one coming!As for Carmack id should take him back just too much history there not to.
martin2014 - Tuesday, March 25, 2014 - link
You mean, with investment like this, if Carmack will take ID back ?risa2000 - Wednesday, March 26, 2014 - link
I hope this was his plan. Otherwise I would be disappointed he agreed to this.Lifted - Wednesday, March 26, 2014 - link
Carmack is a facebook employee now.I'm actually looking forward to the new 3d facebook in 16 million shades of brown.
superkev72 - Friday, March 28, 2014 - link
Lifted you don't know what you are talking about. The devil is in the details and in this case FB essentially has a equal representation in Oculus so Oculus is still independent and was not absorbed as many here seem to think. Your idea on what occurred here could not be farther from the truth.nutjob2 - Sunday, March 30, 2014 - link
That's hilarious. FB bought it lock, stock and barrel and FB has total control. They can step in whenever they want, probably when the existing management becomes to much of a pain in the backside.Meanwhile "true believers" have been sold a bill of goods. The good guys took the money and ran.
wickman - Tuesday, March 25, 2014 - link
if oculus was a "social" experience, it wouldn't involve blinding yourself to the world around you with a head mounted display, and deafening you to the world around you with a nice set of headphones. It is a complete slap in the face to those of us with dev kits, and developing software, to have contributed so much money to the project only to have zuck & co step in and destroy the reputation that has been building. Valve is a better fit for a buy, hell even Microsoft, Sony, or Nintendo would be better parents. At least that lot has a history in gaming that extends further than telling Zynga to rip off other people's games.I may be joining you in the "Oculus Rift Dev kit for sale. Going fast or going in the trash." sale....
ET - Wednesday, March 26, 2014 - link
You seem to have a strange idea of what "social" means these days. People are already in their own world, using their phones for social aspects while ignoring those around them. VR is the next obvious step, shutting out that pesky outside world completely.Besides, Facebook really is a better choice for VR than any game related company. VR games are a niche product, even for gamers. VR needs other apps to really take off.
blakflag - Friday, March 28, 2014 - link
So true... I see many 20-somethings buried so deep in their cell phones they might as well be on Mars, they're so oblivious to the people and things around them.skiboysteve - Tuesday, March 25, 2014 - link
I think Carmack feels like his wallet just got a lot thicker...EdgeOfDetroit - Tuesday, March 25, 2014 - link
Er, I guess Star Citizen is no longer the most successful Kickstarter. Hopefully CR will never sell out.HisDivineOrder - Wednesday, March 26, 2014 - link
Welcome to Unbelievably Crazy Technology News. The top story is the joint sellout of major Kickstarter efforts, Star Citizen has officially been sold to Zynga. They're integrating it into their joint efforts with Facebook on the Oculus Rift.In other news, Sony has bought in its entirety by Apple for 1 billion dollars and 2 free Macbook Pro's. The PS4 was renamed the AppleTV Pro. Sony's VR unit is going to be called, Apple iSight for AppleTV Pro. Subsequently, many previously available Android versions of old Playstation titles are being released on iTunes for iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, and AppleTV Pro.
Elsewhere, Microsoft has purchased Valve for 101 billion dollars. Steam will be integrated into Windows and renamed, "Xbox Gaming for Windows." Microsoft is promising that Steam will operate independently otherwise and that SteamOS's release will not be impacted. In fact, Microsoft is rumored to be spinning Xbox One down in favor of a new initiative based on SteamOS called, "XboxPC." Rumor has it the only major change to SteamOS is the changing out of the Linux kernel for the Windows 8 kernel and the ability to swap out the OS freely and easily for a locked down, closed system of isolation. Major publishers are highly supportive of the move. Rumors also suggest a major factor in the purchase was the acquisition of Valve's highly praised VR technology prototypes that were not to hit market... until now.
Elsewhere, Nintendo will lower the price on 3DS a bit more and release an add-on they're calling, "The Nintendo Strap-On" that despite its name allows you to strap the the 3DS not where you're thinking, but instead on your face. It includes a pair of "eyecups" that you stick on your eyesockets and then pull the 3DS on tight. Unique technology allows the 3DS to them simulate a VR headset. Nintendo is expected to announce a $99.99 price point for the Nintendo Strap-on. Nintendo's own Reggie is said to have been so excited, he screamed, "I love strap-on's!"
And finally in today's top technology news, Google is said to have woke up this morning and looked around at the VR landscape. Then scratched their heads.
That's it for Unbelievably Crazy Technology News. Back to you, Bob.
Krioni - Thursday, March 27, 2014 - link
Woops... replied to the wrong comment...Here you go...
"Nintendo Strap-On"... wow.. that is funny stuff. +100!!
Great post.
Krioni - Thursday, March 27, 2014 - link
"Nintendo Strap-On"... wow.. that is funny stuff. +100!!Great post.
B3an - Tuesday, March 25, 2014 - link
Very very bad news. The internet is going nuts over this shit, it would be really funny if i wasn't so disappointed.Deelron - Tuesday, March 25, 2014 - link
I still think it's kind of funny, but I do realize that makes me a bad person.I do feel bad for the people supporting oculus, having tried one I could see it being pretty damn neat for people interested in such a thing.
jay401 - Tuesday, March 25, 2014 - link
Every douchebag marketer out there is now drooling over the thought of shoving obnoxious ads right into your eyeballs.ciparis - Tuesday, March 25, 2014 - link
Nooooooooooooooooooooo!f0d - Tuesday, March 25, 2014 - link
social experience? facebook? urgh....one of the things i was really looking forward to in gaming is now down the drainhole... freakin "social experience"
Zink - Tuesday, March 25, 2014 - link
Very sad. Oculus doesn't have consumer hardware, games, or any users and already Facebook is trying to set up some greedy business model where they will be able to recoup the billions they invested. Why couldn't they make their own platform to compete with Sony's version while letting Oculus be a collaborative community platform?superkev72 - Friday, March 28, 2014 - link
Except FB doesn't actually control Oculus. FB owns the stock but the BOD is equal representation so they are still independent. I'm sure there are provisions in there preventing BODs replacement for a long time. No doubt you will see little or no influence from FB here for a really long time.rogueninja - Tuesday, March 25, 2014 - link
I guess we'll become hypocrites and call VR gaming a gimmick now.Rexyl - Tuesday, March 25, 2014 - link
Noooooo, fecking Facebook ruining everything. So much for the VR dream. Hopefully Valve comes out with their own model but I'm sure every competing company that's currently developing one right now has enough patented that no single model can be a good experience.tviceman - Tuesday, March 25, 2014 - link
If Oculus was fishing for a buyout like this, Valve missed the boat.DarkXale - Tuesday, March 25, 2014 - link
More likely they were outbid. I'm not sure Valve has billions in pocket money.garadante - Tuesday, March 25, 2014 - link
And here I was really, really looking forward to Occulus Rift... Goodbye interest in it. Hopefully someone else develops a competing hardware. I see nothing but bad in the future now that Facebook is at the helm.superkev72 - Friday, March 28, 2014 - link
They aren't at the helm dude, read the details of the deal.kyuu - Wednesday, March 26, 2014 - link
I never bought into the Oculus hype, but it was an interesting device with a lot of promise that I was looking forward to it coming to fruition.What I'm really disappointed in is that they'd sell themselves out to an outfit like Facebook when they owe their very existence to funding from the community via Kickstarter. It's something of a betrayal, from my point of view. You know Facebook has no interest in furthering the future of gaming or any other goal other than how they can combine this with their main revenue stream: advertising.
Sony's VR platform is looking a lot more appealing alluvasudden. Sony's no angel, to be sure, but hey, at least they aren't Facebook.
iwod - Wednesday, March 26, 2014 - link
No Privacy Matters were raised?If Facebook was America 's secret argent to spy on the world, then OculusVR would just be another tools for the job.
beginner99 - Wednesday, March 26, 2014 - link
I doubt FB will ever make 2 Billion or the 16 Billion they payed for Whatsapp. This makes 0 sense to me. Tech double 2.0.Yorgos - Wednesday, March 26, 2014 - link
Lucky me I didn't pre-order this thing.In a few years we will be total slaves of facebook, apple, microsoft and google.
I never had/will have a facebook account,
neither an apple product
nor a microsoft machine, although I payed for an XP and 7 license,
and I am stuck with gmail since I have it since it got started.
That's monopoly, buy everything to eliminate competition and also kill new ideas.
SeleniumGlow - Wednesday, March 26, 2014 - link
Let's take a minute and think about it from a different angle.1) A large number of people with money in their pockets don't do hardcore gaming.
2) There are more players active in farmville at any given point of time than Steam servers for any one game.
3) You need money to do research, specially for products that will be an everyday use object in the future.
Going by these points, I say that this isn't a completly bad move. Oculus needs more money for research. Mr. Zuckerberg has a revolutionary idea for the future of social networking, something that we haven't been able to imagine yet. If it is a win win situation for both companies then it is fine I'd say.
But I digress, I'm sad and depressed by this news. I wanted unadulterated VR gaming. Now I can imagine pop ups telling me to pay $$ for buying normal/high power ammo to kill opponents. I'd only get free weak ammo otherwise...
jardows2 - Wednesday, March 26, 2014 - link
I have to check my calender. Did I enter a time warp? My calender says it is March 26 today, not April 1?magnusmundus - Wednesday, March 26, 2014 - link
I wanted the Rift to be a PC enthusiast VR device with a gaming focus, not a social media platform. I was looking forward to building a new PC with a GTX 880 once CV1 came out. Now, I worry that the specs on the Rift will suffer with Facebook catering to the masses with low end PCs.However, I realize that from a business perspective I'm in the minority, and more users means more money for R&D. As long as the Rift is developed as JUST a VR device that anyone can develop for, without any Facebook DRM garbage (hardware or software), then this might turn out OK. I try to just think of it as a new type of monitor, where the quality of the image and what's displayed will still entirely depend on the user. If that's not the case, then this is very sad news.
DIYEyal - Wednesday, March 26, 2014 - link
They are dead to me... I will never buy a product from a company owned by facebook...thebeastie - Thursday, March 27, 2014 - link
I wonder if Oculus VR were secretly holding out on a final release of their product waiting for a take over.The thing I think about now is the CEO of facebook under pressure from shareholders wanting their share price to go up higher and Zuckerberg thinking "I know!, lets sell each Oculus headset for $1200!" Especially if you pay $2b for the company.
ThomasMHarper - Friday, March 28, 2014 - link
Oculus doesn't have consumer hardware, games, or any users and already Facebook is trying to set up some greedy business model where they will be able to recoup the billions they invested. Why couldn't they make their own platform to compete with Sony's version while letting Oculus be a collaborative community platform? http://num.to/268839892477superkev72 - Friday, March 28, 2014 - link
I wouldn't worry about this too much FB didn't try to control WhatsApp or Instagram at all and they won't try to control Oculus. The details would be in the operating agreement between Oculus and FB but I would guess they are prevented from directly controlling the company and is a common practice in this type of acquisition. It looks like a lot of people really don't understand how these work and think poof it's now FB and nothing could be farther from the truth.nutjob2 - Sunday, March 30, 2014 - link
You live in a fantasy world where you think the owner of a company doesn't control it. I'm not sure what you think an "operating agreement" is but I'm guessing that at any point if the existing staff don't like what FB want to do their choices are (a) leave. Sooner or later FB will get whatever they want out of Oculus, most probably sooner.