Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) is making fewer and fewer fans with each acquisition, apparently. First WhatsApp fans became concerned about privacy when the social network bought it. Now Oculus VR backers have expressed anger at Facebook’s purchase of the virtual reality company.
Like the WhatsApp acquisition, Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) states that Oculus VR will operate independently and that any change it makes “will be for the better.” Nonetheless, the damage to the Oculus’ reputation has been done.
Oculus backers feel “betrayed”
Oculus VR raised more than $2 million through Kickstarter so that it could develop the technology Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) has purchased for $2 billion. One baker, Sergey Chubukov, said on the comment page on the crowd-funding site that he feels “betrayed” and “cheated.” Others said they were disappointed and that Oculus could have become even bigger than Facebook without the social network.
Many feel that Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) will reduce the impact the virtual reality gaming company has on the industry. In fact, many users of Reddit actually posted links on the site showing how backers can cancel their preorders of the virtual reality headset created by Oculus, called the Oculus Rift.
Oculus funders passionate, but not about Facebook
Many people who fund startups through Kickstarter do so because they are passionate about the product the company is developing, and Oculus was no different. However, most are now calling the company a sellout and saying that the acquisition is a “disgrace.”
In fact, well-known game developers are also taking part in the protest. Markus Persson, who developed the popular game Minecraft, revealed on his blog at notch.net that he has actually canceled his plans to create a version of the game specifically for the Oculus Rift headset. He has sold over 14 million copies of Minecraft, and having the game on the headset would likely give it a sales boost.
Questioning Facebook’s motives
Persson said he believes in virtual reality and wants to be a part of it, but he refuses to work with Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB). He said the social network’s motives are just “too unclear and shifting” and that it hasn’t “historically been a stable platform.” In fact, he said flat out that he just doesn’t trust Facebook and sees it as “creepy.”
The game developer says he paid $10,000 to help fund the development of the Oculus Rift and that he didn’t do it to create value so that Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) would be interested in buying it.
