Facebook’s VR Company Is Facing A Total Shutdown

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Recently, Oculus, a company Facebook acquired for $2 billion almost three years ago, has turned out to be more trouble than it’s worth. Oculus lost a major lawsuit worth half a billion dollars to video game publisher ZeniMax, owner of Fallout and Skyrim developer Bethesda Softworks, with the court ruling that Oculus had used copyrighted ZeniMax technology without permission, holding the company and its founders liable. And now ZeniMax is moving to shut Oculus down completely.

According to Reuters, ZeniMax is seeking an injunction on sales of any product that uses their technology, which has been widely distributed to developers working on games for Oculus products, notably the Oculus Rift. If granted, it would likely limit what games are available for the Rift to a tiny handful, already a problem for a company with product sales lagging in its market.

This in turn raises the question of whether Oculus can stay afloat. The $500 million judgement was against both the company and its founders, including Palmer Luckey, and currently they’re appealing the verdict. It’s widely believed ZeniMax is trying to force a settlement and end the appeal process early. Either way, it seems unlikely that the saga of Facebook’s increasingly ill-fated foray into VR is over just yet.

Posted: Feb 26, 2017 6:34 pm
Related Forum: PC Gaming Forum

Source: http://uproxx.com/technology/oculus-zenimax-injunction/

Comments

IlcamorristaPosted: Tue. Mar 28, 2017

Rigged
Mr_Robot I doubt oculus will be shut down. They are owned funded by Facebook.Facebook a huge corporation hasbillions of dollars to spend

I beg to differ. Oculus sales have gone through the floor. They're being sued left, right & center and to top it all off there's so many CHEAPER and easier to use alternatives on the market now. Oculus is dying, if not already dead

Seems as tho they won. Although it was close to getting shut down.

NickPosted: Thu. Mar 09, 2017

I really hope this doesn't get shut down. This is a really cool thing that is happening.

IlcamorristaPosted: Fri. Mar 03, 2017

They will never get shut down.

MajPosted: Tue. Feb 28, 2017

Mr_Robot I doubt oculus will be shut down. They are owned funded by Facebook.Facebook a huge corporation hasbillions of dollars to spend

I beg to differ. Oculus sales have gone through the floor. They're being sued left, right & center and to top it all off there's so many CHEAPER and easier to use alternatives on the market now. Oculus is dying, if not already dead

GiftyPosted: Tue. Feb 28, 2017

Ilcamorrista
Mr_Robot I doubt oculus will be shut down. They are owned funded by Facebook.Facebook a huge corporation hasbillions of dollars to spend

Yeah I agree to them this is pocket change.

This will dip the savings lol but I hardly doubt Facebook a billion dollar company will let oculus shutdown

IlcamorristaPosted: Tue. Feb 28, 2017

Mr_Robot I doubt oculus will be shut down. They are owned funded by Facebook.Facebook a huge corporation hasbillions of dollars to spend

Yeah I agree to them this is pocket change.

322Posted: Tue. Feb 28, 2017

miller1821
GiveMeRep4free
ProJimmyRustler This kinda marks the end of VR. It was going no where fast.

If it doesn't die out completely, then mobile VR will be the future.
VR in it's current state does not accommodate enough people to be main stream.

How is this the end of VR? oculus isn't even considered the best VR out. That goes to HTC vive which has sold more than oculus. VR isn't exactly mainstream right now because the technology is is still expensive it is how ever getting bigger and bigger and its usefulness isn't limited to gaming.

in 5 or so years it will probably be a bit more affordable for the average person.

VR has really only begun, it is a very new technology.

Actually VR has been around for awhile aka Virtual Boy in 1995 so it is not a new technology. VR has never caught on mainstream and never will because of the side effects. Put the headset on your head for a limited amount of time and experience headaches, motion sickness, etc. It is a dumb technology with the intention of making you feel part of the game. There will never be a screen type interface that can accomplish this successfully. The only way to feel apart of the game is to actually be in the game and the technology for that is unheard of and probably 50+ years away. VR sucks!!

you're delusional. VR is a new technology. at least in its current state anyway. The virtual boy isn't VR, it's not comparable. This sort of VR tech is extremely new for the consumer market. And it is already on its way to being mainstream. Phone VR headsets are purchasable in nearly every tech store for $20 or so. Motion sickness can be limited by the way the game handles. Developers are still learning way to curve it and a lot of VR games have little to no motion sickness for the majority of people. And after using VR motion sickness should subside the more you use it and get used to it. I don't think anyone feels apart of the game its about enhancing the experience. You seem angry at VR for existing. VR headsets are brilliant and will only get better and cheaper, and more mainstream as time goes on. They way you're acting seems like you haven't even tried it.

Mr_RobotPosted: Mon. Feb 27, 2017

I doubt oculus will be shut down. They are owned funded by Facebook.Facebook a huge corporation hasbillions of dollars to spend

NickPosted: Mon. Feb 27, 2017

I didn't even know this was a thing. Sorry for your lose, facebook. You're still cool though.