Facebook buying Oculus VR for $2 billion

[xxMATTGxx]

Facebook plans to purchase Oculus VR, maker of the Oculus Rift virtual reality headset, for $2 billion. The deal is comprised of $400 million in cash and 23.1 million shares of Facebook stock. Facebook announced its surprise purchase via a blog post. CEO Mark Zuckerberg has also revealed Facebook's reasons for the deal. "Oculus's mission is to enable you to experience the impossible. Their technology opens up the possibility of completely new kinds of experiences," Zuckerberg says. "Immersive gaming will be the first, and Oculus already has big plans here that won't be changing and we hope to accelerate."

Zuckerberg says that Facebook will "focus on helping Oculus build out their product and develop partnerships to support more games." But he makes clear that after Oculus sees through its gaming ambitions, Facebook will expand the product into new territory. "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." Zuckerberg equates Oculus to "a new communication platform" and clearly has a vision that extends far beyond the gaming focus that helped Oculus become a smash Kickstarter success.

Source: http://www.theverge.com/2014/3/25/55...-for-2-billion

Facebook is buying another company again!

[Blinger]

Hmm.. what market is Facebook actually trying to achieve? With buying WhatsApp they get a MASSIVE amount of telephone numbers (someone explain the use of this, please); Instagram was/is another social network so that increases their market share to some extent..

[peteyt]

Seems to be happening a lot lately with big companies purchasing lots of other companies. I just hope we get to see the full potential of the Oculus Rift and that Facebook doesn't dumb it down

[Aiden]

Never really been into gaming so never heard of the company. I guess Facebook has the money then why not? :L

[GommeInc]

Loads of people who backed the KickStarter are not happy and they have every right to. They didn't want the company/product to be taken over and used by a company for social reasons. They wanted it for gaming. Loads have pulled their pre-orders.

[e5]

Does look quite cool, but wow it puts into perspective what they paid for whatsapp lmao. Can't even get that on my ipad!!!