5 ms·

Just from an outsider's perspective: The entire Oculus acquisition has been one fumble after another, I dare call it a debacle. They traded their community trus

by lowglow 10y ago

Just from an outsider's perspective: The entire Oculus acquisition has been one fumble after another, I dare call it a debacle. They traded their community trust online to participate and get the resources of a bigger company (probably due to competitive pressure). The bigger company was facebook, which doesn't evoke a large amount of community trust, so there was considerable splintering in the community rallying behind what was seen as the future champ of VR. This was the same early adopter community that wanted to spend the money, buy the rigs, develop for the platform, and further VR in general. Now when I see old school innovators join up, it just feels like they've sold out by association. I don't know what's going to save its image? Maybe a killer app?

marricks 10y ago
I feel this view point assumes most people are Reddit users. Reddit gave them a ton of hate for being purchased by FB, and most people on Reddit hate FB, but the statistics and how much their units are sold tells us they're not having a problem reaching customers. Most companies gave really favorable reviews of touch, and gear vr has sold really well. I think the image problem is mostly just vocal Reddit users.
- nightski 10y ago
  Are they looking to just push units? If so that strategy might work for a while. But many of us are under the impression they are looking to build an ecosystem, and the hardware is just a replaceable component to that (with plenty of competition). I feel like the concerns were more around what that ecosystem was going to be like, than the viability and or cool factor of the hardware itself. (i.e. just because I was an early adopter of a dk2 does not mean I am on board with Oculus for the long run).
- deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
- seanwilson 10y ago
  > I feel this view point assumes most people are Reddit users. Reddit gave them a ton of hate for being purchased by FB, and most people on Reddit hate FB, but the statistics and how much their units are sold tells us they're not having a problem reaching customers. > Most companies gave really favorable reviews of touch, and gear vr has sold really well. I think the image problem is mostly just vocal Reddit users. Something like 80% of internet users use Facebook. Anyone that thinks that Facebook integration is going to bother the average person (or care that Facebook just owns the company) is out of touch.
  - lj3 10y ago
    > Something like 80% of internet users use Facebook. Do you have a source far that percentage? It seems high.
    - chc 10y ago
      Given that Facebook boasts 1.8 billion monthly active users users, and there are about 3.5 billion Internet users, it seems broadly plausible that 80% of people on the Internet have used Facebook — but 80% definitely aren't regular users.
    - patch_collector 10y ago
      Pew Research had a January 2014 number of 71% of 'online adults' being on facebook, Statista had 79% of US internet users for April of 2016. http://www.pewinternet.org/fact-sheets/social-networking-fact-sheet/ http://www.pewinternet.org/fact-sheets/social-networking-fac... https://www.statista.com/statistics/246230/share-of-us-internet-users-who-use-selected-social-networks/ https://www.statista.com/statistics/246230/share-of-us-inter...
    - seanwilson 10y ago
      Haven't looked into how accurate these are but it's mentioned fairly often. "Market leader Facebook was used by 79 percent of internet users" https://www.statista.com/statistics/246230/share-of-us-internet-users-who-use-selected-social-networks/ https://www.statista.com/statistics/246230/share-of-us-inter... "71% of online adults use Facebook" http://www.pewinternet.org/fact-sheets/social-networking-fact-sheet/ http://www.pewinternet.org/fact-sheets/social-networking-fac... "72% of all online US adults visit Facebook at least once a month" https://www.brandwatch.com/blog/96-amazing-social-media-statistics-and-facts-for-2016/ https://www.brandwatch.com/blog/96-amazing-social-media-stat...
badlucklottery 10y ago
>I don't know what's going to save its image? Maybe a killer app? For me they'd save a lot of face if they just opened up their APIs/store to other headsets. They tried to pin down the PC VR HMD market and failed due to Valve/HTC. But they're still trying to become the Steam of VR despite Steam doing the same and having the distinct advantage of already being the Steam of everything else. But there's definitely room for other storefronts out there like GOG and EA's Origin so I don't begrudge them wanting to take that 30% for themselves but let me use whatever HMD I want.
- errantspark 10y ago
  I can't agree more. The whole Oculus platform is so intrusive, it really feels like they care 100% about ways to extract value from their IP and 0% about delivering something users want.
- dahdum 10y ago
  My major gripe with them too, they aren't competing on technology but rather marketing and exclusivity arrangements. So glad they aren't the only ones driving the space forward, otherwise it's IE6 all over again.
- jwcooper 10y ago
  Are they actively blocking the other HMD's or just not supporting them with drivers, etc? I know they locked it down at one point with DRM, but quickly backtracked. Revive is a free option, that works with the Oculus Store and the Vive but that's obviously not as nice as native support from Oculus.
- krisroadruck 10y ago
  Honestly I'd like to see VR headsets be treated more like PC monitors or video cards than like game consoles. A display with some tracking sensors should have to come with a walled garden. I feel this would encourage a lot more VR game development as well as a lot faster release cycle on new hardware, as well as a better range of hardware options, just like how you can buy a cheapo monitor or video card and live with lower resolution/framerates, or you can splurge a couple grand and get a really nice one. Games don't really care which end of that spectrum you go, they have settings to accommodate various resolutions and graphical horsepower.

by lowglow 10y ago

marricks 10y ago

I feel this view point assumes most people are Reddit users. Reddit gave them a ton of hate for being purchased by FB, and most people on Reddit hate FB, but the statistics and how much their units are sold tells us they're not having a problem reaching customers. Most companies gave really favorable reviews of touch, and gear vr has sold really well. I think the image problem is mostly just vocal Reddit users.

nightski 10y ago
Are they looking to just push units? If so that strategy might work for a while. But many of us are under the impression they are looking to build an ecosystem, and the hardware is just a replaceable component to that (with plenty of competition). I feel like the concerns were more around what that ecosystem was going to be like, than the viability and or cool factor of the hardware itself. (i.e. just because I was an early adopter of a dk2 does not mean I am on board with Oculus for the long run).
deleted 10y ago
[deleted]
seanwilson 10y ago
> I feel this view point assumes most people are Reddit users. Reddit gave them a ton of hate for being purchased by FB, and most people on Reddit hate FB, but the statistics and how much their units are sold tells us they're not having a problem reaching customers. > Most companies gave really favorable reviews of touch, and gear vr has sold really well. I think the image problem is mostly just vocal Reddit users. Something like 80% of internet users use Facebook. Anyone that thinks that Facebook integration is going to bother the average person (or care that Facebook just owns the company) is out of touch.
- lj3 10y ago
  > Something like 80% of internet users use Facebook. Do you have a source far that percentage? It seems high.
  - chc 10y ago
    Given that Facebook boasts 1.8 billion monthly active users users, and there are about 3.5 billion Internet users, it seems broadly plausible that 80% of people on the Internet have used Facebook — but 80% definitely aren't regular users.
  - patch_collector 10y ago
    Pew Research had a January 2014 number of 71% of 'online adults' being on facebook, Statista had 79% of US internet users for April of 2016. http://www.pewinternet.org/fact-sheets/social-networking-fact-sheet/ http://www.pewinternet.org/fact-sheets/social-networking-fac... https://www.statista.com/statistics/246230/share-of-us-internet-users-who-use-selected-social-networks/ https://www.statista.com/statistics/246230/share-of-us-inter...
  - seanwilson 10y ago
    Haven't looked into how accurate these are but it's mentioned fairly often. "Market leader Facebook was used by 79 percent of internet users" https://www.statista.com/statistics/246230/share-of-us-internet-users-who-use-selected-social-networks/ https://www.statista.com/statistics/246230/share-of-us-inter... "71% of online adults use Facebook" http://www.pewinternet.org/fact-sheets/social-networking-fact-sheet/ http://www.pewinternet.org/fact-sheets/social-networking-fac... "72% of all online US adults visit Facebook at least once a month" https://www.brandwatch.com/blog/96-amazing-social-media-statistics-and-facts-for-2016/ https://www.brandwatch.com/blog/96-amazing-social-media-stat...

badlucklottery 10y ago

>I don't know what's going to save its image? Maybe a killer app? For me they'd save a lot of face if they just opened up their APIs/store to other headsets. They tried to pin down the PC VR HMD market and failed due to Valve/HTC. But they're still trying to become the Steam of VR despite Steam doing the same and having the distinct advantage of already being the Steam of everything else. But there's definitely room for other storefronts out there like GOG and EA's Origin so I don't begrudge them wanting to take that 30% for themselves but let me use whatever HMD I want.

errantspark 10y ago
I can't agree more. The whole Oculus platform is so intrusive, it really feels like they care 100% about ways to extract value from their IP and 0% about delivering something users want.
dahdum 10y ago
My major gripe with them too, they aren't competing on technology but rather marketing and exclusivity arrangements. So glad they aren't the only ones driving the space forward, otherwise it's IE6 all over again.
jwcooper 10y ago
Are they actively blocking the other HMD's or just not supporting them with drivers, etc? I know they locked it down at one point with DRM, but quickly backtracked. Revive is a free option, that works with the Oculus Store and the Vive but that's obviously not as nice as native support from Oculus.
krisroadruck 10y ago
Honestly I'd like to see VR headsets be treated more like PC monitors or video cards than like game consoles. A display with some tracking sensors should have to come with a walled garden. I feel this would encourage a lot more VR game development as well as a lot faster release cycle on new hardware, as well as a better range of hardware options, just like how you can buy a cheapo monitor or video card and live with lower resolution/framerates, or you can splurge a couple grand and get a really nice one. Games don't really care which end of that spectrum you go, they have settings to accommodate various resolutions and graphical horsepower.