Facebook today announcing that they are acquiring Oculus VR for around $2 billion. Oculus VR is a virtual reality focussed company, it raised 2.4 million dollars through Kickstarter and then few months ago it raised $75 million series B round. Oculus VR doesn’t have a consumer product as of now, but it has received 75,000 orders for its virtual reality development kits.
Facebook says Oculus VR is a leader in virtual reality technology and has already built strong interest among developers. According to a press release issued by Facebook Oculus VR first will focus on the gaming and then becomes a communication and entertainment platform. Currently there is not much market for virtual reality technology applications but in the next years companies are hoping that virtual reality will pick up and expand significantly.
“Mobile is the platform of today, and now we’re also getting ready for the platforms of tomorrow,” said Facebook founder and CEO, Mark Zuckerberg. “Oculus has the chance to create the most social platform ever, and change the way we work, play and communicate.”
“We are excited to work with Mark and the Facebook team to deliver the very best virtual reality platform in the world,” said Brendan Iribe, co-founder and CEO of Oculus VR. “We believe virtual reality will be heavily defined by social experiences that connect people in magical, new ways. It is a transformative and disruptive technology, that enables the world to experience the impossible, and it’s only just the beginning.”
Oculus VR functions independent of Facebook and continue developing the Oculus Rift virtual reality headset. The $2 billon deal Facebook reached today to acquire Oculus will include $400 million in cash and $1.6 billion in Facebook common stock.
