Facebook Acquires Virtual Reality Company For USD2 Billion. What Does Zuck Want With It?
Facebook is purchasing Oculus VR, a virtual reality headset company best known for its Oculus Rift gaming device, in an unexpected $2 billion dollar deal.
By Sadho Ram — 26 Mar 2014, 02:25 PM — Updated over 10 years ago
On 25 March 2014, Facebook Bought Oculus VR, The Maker Of The Virtual Reality Headset For USD2 Billion
Facebook announced Tuesday that it has agreed to buy the virtual reality technology company Oculus VR, which makes the Oculus Rift headset, for about $2 billion in cash and stock.
cnet.com
Facebook announced Tuesday that it acquired Oculus VR, the company behind the Oculus Rift gaming headset in a cash and stock deal valued at $2 billion.
Image via mshcdn.comThe deal includes $400 million in cash and $1.6 billion in Facebook stock, as well as an additional $300 million if Oculus meets certain performance targets.
mashable.com
Oculus will continue to operate independently at its headquarters in Irvine, Calif. The deal is expected to close in the second quarter of 2014.
time.com
Although Rift Has Been Pitched As A Video Gaming Device, Facebook Plans To Use Its Technology For Communications, Media And Other Forms Of Entertainment
In a conference call with analysts, Zuckerberg said virtual reality has the potential to be the next great computing evolution, following the transition from desktop computers to mobile devices.
livemint.com
“Oculus has the potential to be the most social platform ever, ”he said. ‘“Imagine sharing not just moments with your friends online, but entire experiences and adventures.”
time.com
In A Post On Facebook, Zuckerberg Talks At Length About How Facebook Plans To Make Oculus VR A Platform For "Completely New Kinds Of Experiences"
According to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, the company's reasons for purchasing the company go beyond its obvious uses in gaming.
engadget.com
In a Facebook post, he writes: But this is just the start. 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 face-to-face -- just by putting on goggles in your home.
businessinsider.in
This is really a new communication platform. By feeling truly present, you can share unbounded spaces and experiences with the people in your life. Imagine sharing not just moments with your friends online, but entire experiences and adventures.
facebook.com
The Oculus Rift Project Gained Prominence On Kickstarter, Raising Over USD2 Million In The Summer Of 2012
Oculus VR was founded by Palmer Luckey. The firm got its initial funding via a Kickstarter campaign. The company raised close to $2.4 million being from 9,522 backers on Kickstarter website, much more than the original target of $250,000.
cnet.com
The company then raised $75 million in December in a round of funding led by Andreessen Horowitz. Oculus currently has over 100 employees and has distributed some 75,000 software development kits for Oculus Rift to game developers and others.
mashable.com
The Oculus Team Wrote In Its Own Blog Post Announcing The Deal, "Facebook Understands The Potential For VR"
"Mark and his team share our vision for virtual reality’s potential to transform the way we learn, share, play, and communicate. Facebook is a company that believes that anything is possible with the right group of people, and we couldn’t agree more."
theverge.com