Oculus VR Staff Receive Death Threats Over Facebook Deal

[Alex Co]

Oculus VR Staff Receive Death Threats Over Facebook Deal

Oculus VR founder Palmer Luckey states he "did not expect to be getting so many death threats and harassing phone calls" over the company's Facebook deal.

While not everyone has exactly been happy with Posting on Reddit [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/133231-Facebook-is-Buying-Oculus-VR-for-2-Billion-Update-4], Oculus VR founder Palmer Luckey has revealed that he -- along with his staff -- has received death threats over the Facebook deal.

Palmer's post can be read in its entirety below.


We expected a negative reaction from people in the short term, we did not expect to be getting so many death threats and harassing phone calls that extended to our families.

We know we will prove ourselves with actions and not words, but that kind of shit is unwarranted, especially since it is impacting people who have nothing to do with Oculus.


Just last week, Oculus VR's community manager has revealed that the second development kit (DK2) of the Oculus Rift is selling "just fine," [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/133325-Oculus-Rift-Selling-Just-Fine-After-Facebook-Buyout-Claims-Company] but I assume the people sending these threats aren't the ones buying the device. While I understand that some people get passionate about certain products and companies, but to hurl death threats? That's something I don't think I can get on board with, regardless of which company buys whom. Hopefully, this sort of behavior stops, but with the internet giving a blanket of anonymity, I sadly don't see it happening anytime soon.

Source: VR Focus [http://www.reddit.com/r/oculus/comments/21npjc/oculus_didnt_expect_such_a_negative_reaction_to/cgf2htj]

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[Karadalis]

Aaaaaaand this has been now how many times some random trolls utter death threats against someone on the internet because they didnt liked what the person/s have done or said?

I mean its okay to argue about the sellout all day long.. but death threats?

I swear people nowadays will threaten you with death for the most silly things...

 

[Caiphus]

Of course they did.

inb4 Gabriel's Greater Internet Fuckwad Theory

It's almost expected now. I dunno. I didn't need this news post* to tell me that Oculus Rift employees were receiving death threats; it was reasonably certain that they would.

It would be funny if it wasn't so tragic.

*Edit: Not to denigrate the news room poster, of course. I'm just sad.

 

[Dominic Crossman]

Aaaaaaand this has been now how many times some random trolls utter death threats against someone on the internet because they didnt liked what the person/s have done or said?

I mean its okay to argue about the sellout all day long.. but death threats?

I swear people nowadays will threaten you with death for the most silly things...

I was going to make a joke death threat against you, as an example of a silly thing, but then I reliased the internet doesn't understand sarcasm/irony (not sure which I'd be).
I agree with you though, selling out, arguably bad. Death threats, undeniably an evil, wrong thing to do, regardless of the situation at hand.

 

[TheSYLOH]

Not sure if April Fools or hilariously stupid internet again.

 

[MrHide-Patten]

Stay classy internet, stay classy. Why would anyone want to create something when they're rewarded with threats against their life? The only compensator would have to be hookers and blow.

 

[fix-the-spade]

I'm still impressed that using Kickstarter has allowed them to fund a start up without having to worry about taking any loans on or reimbursing those pesky investors once the company was sold.

That is a seriously sneaky but perfectly legal move, very clever.

 

[Under_your_bed]

Hell hath no fury like a bunch of sexually frustrated neckbeards fearing for their Chinese Cartoon sex simulators[sub](TM)[/sub]! [http://i0.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/723/998/c5a.jpg]

 

[WarHamster40K]

Not sure if April Fools or hilariously stupid internet again.

Unfortunately, it isn't April Fools (tacky as it would be). It made the gaming media rounds yesterday. Doesn't make it any less disappointing. I'm taking a "wait and see" approach to the Oculus/FB deal, but I don't see how trying to coerce employees with implied violence actually leads to the intended result.

 

[jollybarracuda]

Oops, it appears I accidentally dropped my pen.
*drowns in a sea of death threats*

Really, is that the only way gamers can react to things nowadays? Even when GOOD things happen in the industry peoples send death threats.

Thankfully, no one ever actually acts on those threats.

 

[008Zulu_v1legacy]

What are they hoping to accomplish? The sale (and I hope to high Heaven that it is still an elaborate prank) has already been finalized. There's no going back on it.

 

[iseko]

What are they hoping to accomplish? The sale (and I hope to high Heaven that it is still an elaborate prank) has already been finalized. There's no going back on it.

Wild guess: to let them know why they are going to kill them?

OT: trolls trolls trolls. The internet is basically one giant bridge with 99% of the community living under it. Trolling... Because they are trolls. Still what did they expect?

Step 1: kickstart an awesome idea and ask money from your average joe
step 2: use the money to create mentioned product
step 3: sell the company, funded by average joe, to... facebook. Sell an idea for virtual reality gaming to fucking facebook...
step 4: get ready to use your newly found riches to build one massive flame shield

If you did not know about or anticipate step 4 then you sir are an idiot.

 

[Signa]

Death threats? Just laugh at the morons and move on. When has an unpopular decision ever been made publicly that didn't result in death threats?

 

[emeraldrafael]

Stay classy internet, stay classy. Why would anyone want to create something when they're rewarded with threats against their life? The only compensator would have to be hookers and blow.

Its almost like a less shitty and less pathetic Atlas Shrugged.

more my opinion, I dont get the rage around this. I'd link the buckley selling out video but I don't know if the same lesson applies outside the music industry. Either way, they saw their pay day and took it and I can't blame them for it. They fulfilled all their kickstarter goals so they dont owe anyone anything there.

 

[Grimh]

Sometimes (i.e. only with this) it feels like I've gone and known about a thing for years and then everyone just suddenly notices it too.
I once recieved a death threat for recommending a color on a thing.

I mean it just baffles me that it seems like only recently that there are these chocking reveals that people recieve death threats over the most insignificant shit. Like, it's just recently people have been spiraling down to these depths of depravity.
Why don't you expect death threats? It's been a thing for years.
I'm not defending it or saying we should just accept it. It just confuses me how people still don't seem know that this is a thing.

But yeah people who do it (send DT's) are petulant, whiny assholes too emotionally stunted and not intellectually mature enough to properly formulate their insignificant opinions in any other way.

So, you know... Fuck'em.

 

[CriticalMiss]

Well it's obvious they would get death threats, for some people step one in responding to something on the internet is deciding if you agree with it. If yes, move on; if no, send death threats.

 

[The Funslinger]

Aaaaaaand this has been now how many times some random trolls utter death threats against someone on the internet because they didnt liked what the person/s have done or said?

I mean its okay to argue about the sellout all day long.. but death threats?

I swear people nowadays will threaten you with death for the most silly things...

This, more or less.

The kinds of people sending these death threats are probably too fat and asthmatic to carry them out, even if they weren't a load of shit.