Although Facebook put $2 billion on the table for Oculus back in March, the acquisition has only officially completed today, leaving the social media giant as the de facto forerunner of virtual reality tech.
“We’re looking forward to an exciting future together,” the two companies said in a joint statement, “building the next computing platform and reimagining the way people communicate.”
Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerburg described Oculus as “the most social platform ever” when the deal began, leaving many to ponder the future of Oculus and its Rift headset, particularly its relevance to gaming. Rift creator Palmer Luckey was quick to quell concern following the announcement, affirming that the company would not change.
In fact, Luckey added, Facebook’s financial backing was to be a massive boon to the company, allowing them to ramp up production and, on a more personal level, properly support independent developers.
However, the acquisition was not without its fair share of court meetings. In May, ZeniMax Media filed a lawsuit against Oculus on the grounds that the company had misappropriated their technology. Oculus responded to the suit quickly, saying it held “no merit whatsoever.”