Facebook is sitting on boatloads of money and the company isn’t afraid to use some of that cash to buy up companies that have interesting tech. Such is the case with a new purchase that sees Facebook buying up Oculus VR, the company behind the slick Oculus Rift VR headset. The purchase reportedly cost Facebook $2 billion (USD).
Many people think the buyout is a bad thing because Facebook is Facebook, and also because selling off the company goes against the independent spirit of the company’s initial funding via Kickstarter. I think the buyout could be a good thing. Facebook certainly has the capital to help Oculus develop low cost VR headsets and other gear, and the reach to bring them to market. Perhaps the purchase will mean that a production rollout will come faster.
Facebook is also a place that many people go to play casual games, and harass others with invites to play games. I could see Facebook working with developers to get casual games on the social network using the Oculus VR device.
[via Washington Post]
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