Facebook acquires Oculus VR • Hacker News Board

Re: Facebook acquires Oculus VR

#111

Post by thisisrobv » Tue, Mar 25, 2014, 9:50 PM UTC

sudont wrote: post #89

lawl wrote: post #48

Damn! I don't like this. I had hoped they jump in bed with valve. Yes, I just really dislike facebook, so I hate to see them aquiring something i was really excited about. Also from the article: > 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 fa…

Indeed. I preordered the DK2, but I'm not sure if I should try to get a refund. I'm not on Facebook, and I don't want to develop for their platform. Although, one of the ideas was to replicate DFW's "samizdat" as an art project. Something tells me Facebook wouldn't look kindly on it pulling all your friend data to entertain you to death.

I think this is what makes me hate this purchase. The most interesting part of Oculus to me was the "open-ness" of the platform. They were seemingly doing an amazing job of getting developers interested in the platform. I'd argue that Facebook does a pretty terrible job on both fronts.

Re: Facebook acquires Oculus VR

#112

Post by avenger123 » Tue, Mar 25, 2014, 9:50 PM UTC

Wow. What an unexpected buy. It's not even Aprils Fool's yet.

This is likely a defensive buy. I would imagine it didn't cost too much either.

Re: Facebook acquires Oculus VR

#113

Post by efiftythree » Tue, Mar 25, 2014, 9:50 PM UTC

dewarrn1 wrote: post #43

No part of this acquisition makes sense. I just hope that the product doesn't disappear without a trace after a write-down in a couple of years.

Trying to make sense of it in my head I can see where Oculus brings the VR technology Facebook may bring the data to create virtual worlds? Surely they will operate as separate entities like Instagram and/or WhatsApp. It also may be good to have a solid financial backer who is also a company who moves quickly.

So long as the device doesn't turn bright blue and Facebook doesn't hinder the forward progress of Oculus VR we might as well sit back and hope for the best.

Re: Facebook acquires Oculus VR

#114

Post by dshep » Tue, Mar 25, 2014, 9:50 PM UTC

Is this like an early April 1st joke?

Re: Facebook acquires Oculus VR

#115

Post by skymt » Tue, Mar 25, 2014, 9:51 PM UTC

Sindrome wrote: post #25

OcculusVR is dead. Can someone make a new Oculus VR that focuses on video games and not enabling Facebook to control everything you see. Get on it.

Sony's "Project Morpheus" is supposed to be on par with the current Oculus kit and it's explicitly intended to pair with the PlayStation 4.

Re: Facebook acquires Oculus VR

#116

Post by jpeg_hero » Tue, Mar 25, 2014, 9:51 PM UTC

pretty bald plan to copy google's "expansive mandate" where you give your company a broader mission and add on these non-core schemes. feels a little hollow.

also, is all company sellers going to completely inflate their price to FB? I get what Oculus is doing, but damn, i would guess that the second highest bidder would pay 10% of that much.

Re: Facebook acquires Oculus VR

#117

Post by orky56 » Tue, Mar 25, 2014, 9:51 PM UTC

I believe all the negativity here is as though David (Oculus VR) has partnered with Goliath (Facebook). What I don't understand is why HN users are already able to rationalize why Facebook is the antagonist here and why Oculus VR might not have a strategy bigger than gaming.

Re: Facebook acquires Oculus VR

#118

Post by Elof » Tue, Mar 25, 2014, 9:51 PM UTC

Facebook is obviously making calculated grabs for data, I get it. But the premiums they are paying seem Ludacris and I don't think spending this much on relatively easily replicated tech seems worth it. I'm going to guess that they are going to ruin the brands that these companies have created and there are probably already legitimate opportunities for incumbent companies or not-even-built-yet future companies to displace the things they are buying.

Re: Facebook acquires Oculus VR

#119

Post by Kapura » Tue, Mar 25, 2014, 9:51 PM UTC

This is probably the most forward-thinking move that Facebook can make. I've personally been kicking around ideas about what society will look like in a post-VR revolution world, and it seems that Zuck et. al. have come to the same conclusion that I have, namely, it will change what it means to interact socially with others.

Imagine a 10 year high school reunion that exists not in the old gymnasium, but in a virtual space where you can catch up with them.

Imagine sitting in the front row of the next presidential debate, where you can see the sweat forming on the candidate's brow under the lights. You can look over and talk to your friend sitting next to you without disturbing the action.

Imagine being able to tour a facebook friend's new apartment without leaving your chair.

This is super duper exciting, but I hope that Facebook doesn't kill it.

Re: Facebook acquires Oculus VR

#120

Post by saraid216 » Tue, Mar 25, 2014, 9:51 PM UTC

jusben1369 wrote: post #64

sz4kerto wrote: post #6

The reason why people haven't commented yet because we can't find the words. I have no immediate idea what can FB do with Oculus VR, even if I read Zuck's comments.

Best early random guess is this is defensive against Google Glass. Basically the world is going to stay mobile but the form factor will move from phones to glasses. FB won't be caught lagging this time (like they did from Web to Mobile).

This was also my first thought. The value proposition is basically, "Google Glass."