fbpodcast

With the big news breaking today that Facebook bought Oculus VR for $2 billion dollars, the Road to VR team assembled quickly to discuss this astonishing news.

Cymatic Bruce, Brian Hart, and Ben Lang join me in this episode to share our thoughts and feelings about the Oculus. Each of us share our initial reactions to the news, and then we dig deep into what it could mean for the future of VR. Could this mean a “Like” button on our Oculus Rift?  Could we see amazing new jumps in technology for a consumer release product? Nobody knows yet.

Whether you agree or disagree that this is a good move for Oculus, this discussion will give you an insight into how we feel.  We have all been up to our necks in VR since the beginning, and we know that the VR community values our opinions. Please feel free to leave your comments below, and stay tuned to Road to VR for updates on this developing story.

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Reverend Kyle
  • eyeandeye

    Just had a chance to listen. CB’s comment about face palming the like button was hilarious. A lot of good thoughts and points made. Oculus’ announcement floored me today, but you guys helped give me some perspective on what it could all mean.

    This was the first RoadtoVR podcost I’ve listened to and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

  • Chris Given

    Despite the mountain of idiotic comments on Reddit I also like this… This will go a long way to bringing VR to the masses!! I am a gamer first and foremost but there are other things outside of gaming that I want to see from VR… I want VR social media… I want my friends and I to have our own VR hangout… I want to see all the other things that VR will be used for… And I don’t think this will be a bad thing for gaming at all… Quite the opposite!!

  • monographix

    I hope that your positive thinking turns out to be true. As I posted in previous article I am much more skeptic than you guys, as I don’t believe in stable worth of facebook shares. If OR is the thing that is supposed to make the FB shares gain value, (which paranoid me would try to explain by the rush and giving 1,5 B$ in shares instead of at least 1B$ in cash) then there is some danger hanging in the air.

    While listening to your podcast I also had an idea. I wonder if by any chance Microsoft won’t do the same thing and buy – or at least start partnership – with Valve. They have their own hardware, R&D, programmers, they are not tied to anyone and with enough cash they can become legitimate competition to Oculus. If I was CEO of MS, I’d risk partnering for 2B$ or buy it for 5B$ today, this very moment. Hell, even 10B$ Going with the momentum, Valve could buy CastAR back with ease of mind and not worrying about PR or anything. I know there would be a future conflict of MS based PC’s and Steam Machines, but there is always the ingenious way of making them Dual System by default or compatibility. In exchange Valve would work on making their VR HMD Xbox One compatible. Win-win.

    Would this be actually possible in any way?

  • James Iliff

    For some reason, I’m imagining the John Carmack scenario (described at 30:25) being reenacted in the style of “Drunk History” with Will Ferrell and Michael Cera. And now can’t stop laughing:P

  • snake0

    Boy do I love the smell of astroturf in the morning!

  • Joe Nickence

    I haven’t listened to the podcast. Not sure if I need to, reading the comments here. But I’m REALLY shocked to learn of this Facebook deal. And REALLY apprehensive. The first thing I thought of is all the ads that FB will push through the OR in creative ways. I hope that I’m worrying over nothing.

    • Mageoftheyear

      It’s the best podcast in terms of accuracy and interpretation that I’ve ever head. It was also very fair and entertaining. You’ll be doing yourself a disservice by ignoring it. Have a go.

      I’ve never been so proud to be a member of the RtVR community as I have in this moment.
      Gentlemen, thank you for such a level headed overview of a very exciting day / night.
      Going forward my ears will remain alert for Valve’s response to these developments but I think it highly unlikely it will change anything – at least not in the short term.

  • kevin williams

    Well presented and level approach to the situation guys.

  • George

    I have the same concern about their collaborations with Valve. I also hope that they keep Oculus OS/software agnostic.

  • Tim Suetens

    Come on, how is this even fair? ALL people in the podcast are defending the sellout.

    Good job showing other points of view! Have you sold out to Suckerberg as well?

  • Curtrock

    Just wanted to chime in, and show my appreciation towards the R2VR community, both in covering this major story, and the community sharing their opinions. I have seen a “virtual” avalanche of negativity aimed toward Oculus & Facebook on Reddit, Kickstarter, and forums far and wide in the gaming arena. Even some of the more established voices of “Notch” and “Cliffy B” have shared their opinions. After reviewing as much of this as I could stomach, I am surprised at the amount of ignorance, mis-information, immaturity, and down right nastiness that has been aimed at these 2 companies. Here are a few examples:

    – YouTube videos of people throwing their Rifts in the garbage
    – People comparing the Facebook company to “Nazis”
    – Kickstarter backers asking for refunds & calling for an Oculus boycott
    – People calling Palmer Luckey a betrayer and a sellout

    I’m embarrassed by the idiocy being expressed by the gaming community, which I am a part of. It’s freaking amazing that people who decide to purchase a $300 product, now feel they are entitled to sit on the board of directors at Oculus, and need to be consulted before a business decision can be made! Lmfao!

    Please feel free to throw out your Rifts, hurl rude & threatening insults, and buy your Sony HMD’s, and issue your boycotts. While you are at it, why not call for the over 1 Billion Facebook users to stop using their obviously Nazi inspired evil communication software, too. Whatever makes you feel better, while you whine and cry about a deal that is pretty much going to make the dream of Virtual Reality, come true for EVERYBODY, not just gamers.

    I wish Oculus and Facebook a hearty congratulations and good luck, as they work towards making the dream of Virtual Reality, into an “actual” reality.

    • ZarthCode

      this.