4 ms·

The problem with grokking Facebook's involvement is the lack of any apparent connection between VR and FB's core competencies. Google at least can use Glass for

The problem with grokking Facebook's involvement is the lack of any apparent connection between VR and FB's core competencies. Google at least can use Glass for ever-more data mining. VR? FB? Carmack can sure put the $2B to good use, but how it benefits FB nobody seems to know.

dropit_sphere 13y ago
What's funny is that everyone would breathe a giant sigh of relief if, when asked about the deal, Zuckerberg just grinned boyishly and said, "It's a VR company run by Carmack, and I'm a multibillionaire. Of course I wanted to own it."
- ejain 13y ago
  Maybe; but Zuckerberg didn't buy the company, Facebook did.
  - DennisP 13y ago
    Zuckerberg has complete control, with 57% of Facebook voting rights. http://venturebeat.com/2012/02/01/zuck-power-play/ http://venturebeat.com/2012/02/01/zuck-power-play/
    - _cbb1 13y ago
      This article could be out of date because it was written in 2012. It's been reported that he has sold some shares.
      - csense 13y ago
        As a public company, isn't Facebook required to report how much of the company is owned by all major shareholders?
  - ctdonath 13y ago
    If Z doesn't have complete control, he's still got most control. Either way he knows that it's easier/cheaper to make FB the legal owner. If you're gonna spend $2B to buy something you want, better if you can get someone else to foot the bill.
deleted 13y ago
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tod222 13y ago
Except that Carmack and Oculus won't see a lot of that money. Oculus raised $91 million (2.4 of that from Kickstarter) [1] including a $75 million series B round last December. [2] It's the investors who will get a lot of Facebook's money. Also, Facebook's stock dropped yesterday in reaction to the move and it's being reported that the deal is worth $200 million less as a result. [3] The B round investors held it for such a short time it's almost like they flipped it to Facebook. [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oculus_Rift http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oculus_Rift [2] http://venturebeat.com/2013/12/12/oculus-vr-raises-75m-from-andreessen-horowitz-to-create-consumer-version-of-its-virtual-reality-goggles/ http://venturebeat.com/2013/12/12/oculus-vr-raises-75m-from-... [3] http://blogs.marketwatch.com/thetell/2014/03/26/facebook-shares-drop-after-causing-rift-with-oculus-fans-investors/ http://blogs.marketwatch.com/thetell/2014/03/26/facebook-sha...

dropit_sphere 13y ago

What's funny is that everyone would breathe a giant sigh of relief if, when asked about the deal, Zuckerberg just grinned boyishly and said, "It's a VR company run by Carmack, and I'm a multibillionaire. Of course I wanted to own it."

ejain 13y ago
Maybe; but Zuckerberg didn't buy the company, Facebook did.
- DennisP 13y ago
  Zuckerberg has complete control, with 57% of Facebook voting rights. http://venturebeat.com/2012/02/01/zuck-power-play/ http://venturebeat.com/2012/02/01/zuck-power-play/
  - _cbb1 13y ago
    This article could be out of date because it was written in 2012. It's been reported that he has sold some shares.
    - csense 13y ago
      As a public company, isn't Facebook required to report how much of the company is owned by all major shareholders?
- ctdonath 13y ago
  If Z doesn't have complete control, he's still got most control. Either way he knows that it's easier/cheaper to make FB the legal owner. If you're gonna spend $2B to buy something you want, better if you can get someone else to foot the bill.

deleted 13y ago

[deleted]

tod222 13y ago

Except that Carmack and Oculus won't see a lot of that money. Oculus raised $91 million (2.4 of that from Kickstarter) [1] including a $75 million series B round last December. [2] It's the investors who will get a lot of Facebook's money. Also, Facebook's stock dropped yesterday in reaction to the move and it's being reported that the deal is worth $200 million less as a result. [3] The B round investors held it for such a short time it's almost like they flipped it to Facebook. [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oculus_Rift http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oculus_Rift [2] http://venturebeat.com/2013/12/12/oculus-vr-raises-75m-from-andreessen-horowitz-to-create-consumer-version-of-its-virtual-reality-goggles/ http://venturebeat.com/2013/12/12/oculus-vr-raises-75m-from-... [3] http://blogs.marketwatch.com/thetell/2014/03/26/facebook-shares-drop-after-causing-rift-with-oculus-fans-investors/ http://blogs.marketwatch.com/thetell/2014/03/26/facebook-sha...