There has been a lot of mixed reaction about Facebook's $2 billion purchase of Oculus and its groundbreaking Oculus Rift virtual reality headset, but if a report in today's New York Times is to be believed, there may be a heck of a lot more criticism coming for both parties involved.
An anonymous source spoke with the Times, and said something that's more than a little worrisome for gamers that were looking forward to the pure, VR Kickstarter darling that received $2.4 million in funding a year and a half ago.
"According to a person involved in the deal who was not allowed to speak publicly because he was not authorized by either company, Facebook eventually plans to redesign the Oculus hardware and rebrand it with a Facebook interface and logo," the article stated.
If that is indeed true, people who were just looking for a gaming machine may start looking elsewhere. Some of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg's own comments in a Facebook post yesterday raised similar concerns. Zuck started off talking about Oculus' big plans for gaming, and that that vision would not falter, but quickly transitioned to the more social aspect of his vision for Oculus.
"After games, we're going to make Oculus a platform for many other experiences," Zuckerberg said in the post. "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.
"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."
All of that sounds great, but it certainly doesn't seem like Zuck's "focus on helping Oculus build out their product and develop partnerships to support more games" seems like a big priority, particularly if the Rift will eventually be rebranded in Facebook's image.
Only time will tell if this buyout ends up being a boon or burden to gamers, but there are definitely some reasons for the game-playing faithful to be concerned in these early stages of the Faculus Riftbook partnership.
