Facebook is finally the owner of Oculus VR, the makers of the well-known Oculus Rift virtual reality headset. Both companies confirmed today that the deal is closed. A move that puts Facebook, the largest social network platform on the Internet, right in the center of the consumer electronics space.
Despite now being owned by Facebook, Oculus VR still plans to operate somewhat independently, as Facebook doesn't hold a whip over the companies acquired. Oculus VR will maintain its offices in Irvine and Los Angeles, and would likely keep a strong video gaming focus going forward.
Oculus VR has brought new life into something from the 1990s that came very close to death due to the disaster that was the Nintendo Virtual Boy. This new life Oculus VR has brought has seen the rise of new competitors in the virtual reality space, which includes the likes of Sony with Project Morpheus, and Google with Project Cardboard.
Samsung is also entering the space, but its VR headset will be designed from the Oculus Rift. Other companies are also using Oculus VR's technology to bring their VR headsets to life.
It is clear that virtual reality isn't going anywhere ever again, as the technology has finally reached a point where it is worth looking into.
Not everyone is in agreement with Facebook purchasing Oculus VR for $2 billion. Some believe that Mark Zuckerberg has made a huge mistake by going down this route since virtual reality has yet to prove itself in the consumer marketplace. Others cry foul on possible privacy issues to the point of not wanting to purchase an Oculus Rift, or even develop content for the headset in the future.
Finally, there are a few folks who view virtual reality as a technology that will lock people away from the real world. In our eyes, this is a legitimate concern, and we can already see it happening with millions of folks around the world and their addiction to social media and the Internet.
Creating a virtual world could truly lead to us humans living similar lives of humans from the movie "Wall-E."
