Hurt by Facebook? Oculus Rift dev kit sales beg to differ

Developers unfazed by Oculus sale to Facebook as Rift dev kit sales top 85,000
Oculus' sale to Facebook may have improved its appeal for devs

The sales of Oculus Rift development kits have soared since the firm's controversial acquisition by Facebook last month.

Developers have snapped up 25,000 'DK2' units since the second iteration went up for pre-order on March 19, less than a week before the Facebook buyout was announced.

Sales of the DK2 unit have outpaced the original (which sold 60,000), suggesting that games developers are enthused rather than perturbed by the presence of the new owners.

That may be down to the impression that Facebook's vast resources make Oculus and the Rift's chances of making it big have greatly improved.

Backlash

The reaction of some potential developers who perhaps see Rift has a more worthwhile platform to build for since Facebook's intervention is a far cry from the backlash felt in other quarters.

Many of the Kickstarter backers who forked over $2.4 million (about £1.4m, AU$2.5m) to help fund the company's goals demanded their money back following the takeover.

Not all developers are ecstatic over Facebook's presence though. Minecraft creator Markus Persson has given up on plans to bring a VR version of the game to the Rift, claiming Facebook "creeps me out."

Via SlashGear

Chris Smith

A technology journalist, writer and videographer of many magazines and websites including T3, Gadget Magazine and TechRadar.com. He specializes in applications for smartphones, tablets and handheld devices, with bylines also at The Guardian, WIRED, Trusted Reviews and Wareable. Chris is also the podcast host for The Liverpool Way. As well as tech and football, Chris is a pop-punk fan and enjoys the art of wrasslin'.