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Facebook Is Closing 200 of Its 500 VR Demo Stations At Best Buy Stores Across US (businessinsider.com) 128

Posted by BeauHD from the out-with-the-old-in-with-the-new dept.
According to Business Insider, "Facebook is closing around 200 of its 500 Oculus Rift virtual-reality demo stations at Best Buy locations across the U.S." The reason has to do with "store performance," as multiple Best Buy pop-ups told Business Insider that "it was common for them to go days without giving a single demonstration." From their report: Oculus spokeswoman Andrea Schubert confirmed the closings and said they were due to "seasonal changes." "We're making some seasonal changes and prioritizing demos at hundreds of Best Buy locations in larger markets," she said. "You can still request Rift demos at hundreds of Best Buy stores in the U.S. and Canada." "We still believe the best way to learn about VR is through a live demo," she continued. "We're going to find opportunities to do regular events and pop ups in retail locations and local communities throughout the year." Best Buy spokeswoman Carly Charlson said stores that no longer offer demos will continue to sell the Oculus Rift headset and accompanying touch controllers, which cost $600 and $200 respectively. Multiple "Oculus Ambassador" workers BI spoke with said that, at most, they would sell a few Oculus headsets per week during the holiday season, and that foot traffic to their pop-ups decreased drastically after Christmas. "There'd be some days where I wouldn't give a demo at all because people didn't want to," said one worker at a Best Buy in Texas who asked to remain anonymous. Another worker from California said that Oculus software bugs would often render his demo headsets unusable.
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Facebook Is Closing 200 of Its 500 VR Demo Stations At Best Buy Stores Across US More

Facebook Is Closing 200 of Its 500 VR Demo Stations At Best Buy Stores Across US

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  • Real answer... (Score:4, Insightful)

    by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday February 08, 2017 @08:38PM (#53829891)

    ... the real reason is that VR is dead. Normal people get sick after about 15 minutes of using VR. You cannot solve that problem. It is physiological. Facebook wasted billions.

    • What's old is new again. Wasn't this discovered in the early 90's?

      • Re:Real answer... (Score:4, Insightful)

        by s.petry ( 762400 ) on Wednesday February 08, 2017 @11:42PM (#53830645)

        What's old is new again. Wasn't this discovered in the early 90's?

        late 70s and early 80s actually. Military technology has had VR for a very long time, though we used to call it "Stereo". DOD specifications stated that Stereo should not be used for more than 3-6 hours per week and we used to have to keep log books for Engineers and Visitors to ensure they did not go over the maximum. I built a full power wall theater with VR, 4 projectors and full motion tracking, and a portable version of the same hardware with manually movable walls. Power walls for people that don't know can operate at either 3 displays flat for 8'X30', various angles on the outer walls up to a 90degree enclosed cave with the 4th projector on the floor at 8'x8'. Hardware was SGI Onyx with Infinite Reality graphics and a Linux cluster of 5 nodes running 2 each NVidia Quadro FX custom cards. Software varied from protected to commercial. The best was commercial CEI Ensight for display control.

        There is a lot that can help with reducing depth and eye position to remove strain, but that tends to reduce the effects of VR where getting a majority of people "comfortable" resulted in no depth.

      • What's old is new again. Wasn't this discovered in the early 90's?

        That's kind of the point. I would hate to live in a world where people decree something and 25 years later with 25 years of technological advancements we don't actually look into it and examine it again. Do you remember why people got sick in the 90s? Well we're discovering that quite well now, and the cutting edge computers needed now to prevent it weren't even a futuristic dream in the 90s.

    • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

      by youngone ( 975102 )
      Yup, VR is pointless and dead.

      Some PlayStation people were demoing their take on VR at a local Mall before Christmas, and they really did it well, with a huge trailer and lots of music.

      The real attraction was the fact that the people doing the demos were all hot young girls with big boobs and tight tee shirts. It was very busy, but I don't suppose they sold a single unit.

      • Re:Real answer... (Score:4, Insightful)

        by gravewax ( 4772409 ) on Thursday February 09, 2017 @01:48AM (#53831005)
        Many things sell well initially with the hype and marketing before crashing back to reality (pun intended). 3D TV's anyone? VR just isn't ready yet, still to many issues, poor resolution and high cost. Add in the fact that average playtime for VR is less than 15 mins and you have a recipe for an industry teetering on the edge, maybe they can recover but it is not a healthy looking tech at this point.

        • if you are so rich, god damn buy everything then, not apple products.

          btw, i love my 3d tv, and vr.

          • if you are so rich, god damn buy everything then, not apple products.

            btw, i love my 3d tv, and vr.

            good for you, you are free to love whatever the hell you like, just the majority doesn't agree with your taste. Doesn't make you wrong, just different and out of step with what most think of it!

        • Most people fuck for about 15 minutes at a time, but that's a plenty big industry.

          I'm not saying VR is fucking, but there are ton of activities that are done in about 15 minute increments; downhill skiing, autocross, skydiving, pretty much most adrenalin junkies activities.

          Besides, you're just wrong on the 15 minute limit. It all comes down to content. Bad VR content can have you puking in far less than 15 minutes, good content can be fun for far longer. Mostly it comes down to up remaining up most of

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by rtb61 ( 674572 )

        The glasses themselves are not dead, just poorly designed. Obviously much more compact glasses with lenses fitted at an optometrist, ground to fit, which provide a big screen experience for mobile phones will be the next big step. The problem with VR FPS nausea (still not one public competition between desktop mouse and keyboard vs FPS on any VR system, that looks quite bad for marketing purposes), very isolated gaming (other people in the room, in the home, around you) and massive cost for a family.

        VR fo

    • Facebook wasted billions.

      Just goes to show that Carmack is a genius and Zuckerberg isn't.

    • I'd like to have a VR setup, but to be honest it's still way too expensive for something I'd only play specific "games" with.

    • Re: (Score:3, Informative)

      by stephanruby ( 542433 )

      No, VR is alive and well.

      It's just that when comparing the Oculus to the HTC Vive, the Oculus is inferior and more expensive (if you include the price of the controllers).

      • Not really, they both have their positives and negatives. Rifts are for most people considered more comfortable due to the strap setup and that it has less weight resting on the front of your face. The touch controllers have also been reviewed as being better all around to the vive wand option as well as providing some semblance of hand presence that you cant get with wands

        The vive is generally considered to have better tracking with its recommended light house setup so for full 15x15 roomscale usage a vive

    • Re: (Score:3, Interesting)

      by AHuxley ( 892839 )
      1+ AC. Why do military projects sort their VR ready staff out with such effort? Early VR attempts only worked with select people.
      Users don't like chromatic distortion, color separation, that feeling of been unhappy when using VR in 2017.
      No amount of hype, positive reviews about VR perfection, charming demo staff and use by select tech media can make up for what users experience with VR.
      Try a big tent or dome. More users might feel more comfortable and the product might sell.

      • I can see how some people may get motion sickness, but I cannot really say I had that experience.

        My guess is that this problem needs a solution, and that some people will not be able to utilize the technology because no matter how good the technology, they'll always get sick. I think what's needed to eliminate this problem is some way to "anchor" yourself, visually, in the room. Some object you can latch your mind onto that doesn't move, rotate or otherwise shift around.

        I noticed that most people have the b

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by AHuxley ( 892839 )
          Yes some games now need hand rails grips to try and keep users aware of their in game movements.

        • I can see how some people may get motion sickness, but I cannot really say I had that experience.

          My guess is that this problem needs a solution,

          There is a solution, don't buy VR, which is what most people for most of human history choose to do.
          What you really should be saying, is what problem is this 'solution' (VR) solving? Because ever since the original VR in the 90's I've never figured out how this could ever work outside novelty use cases.
          VR has always been stupid, Facebook are just now learning what most of us already knew.

          • There's also a solution to car accidents, we just have to stop using cars. See how simple this can be?

            You see no use for VR. That's ok. Some of us would like the experience though. I hope we're allowed to? Or do we need your permit?

            • There's also a solution to car accidents, we just have to stop using cars.

              Cars solve a real problem, what exactly are you solving with VR?

              See how simple this can be?

              You see no use for VR. That's ok. Some of us would like the experience though. I hope we're allowed to? Or do we need your permit?

              Fill your boots. If you like VR and don't get nauseous using it then there is no problem that needs solving.

              • VR solves the problem of immersion when it comes to video gaming. Not your cup of tea? Ok. Fortunately it's not mandatory to use and neither are you required to even consider it.

                What I don't get is why you are desperately unwilling to let those that are interested find out whether it is feasible.

                • VR solves the problem of immersion when it comes to video gaming.

                  ITYM "FPS video gaming". For simulation gaming, this problem is already 90% solved by using a gimbal. (The rest is solved by mounting the gimbal on hydraulics or pneumatics, but gimbals are expensive enough.) Hmm, now that's got me thinking, how cheaply can I build a gimbal big enough for me to stand up in? How about sitting down? ponder, ponder

                  • Hmm... building a different cockpit for every flight sim you play is really cheaper than buying a VR set and building the cockpits in software? I mean, that's certainly doable if you're a hardcore fan of a certain, very specific plane model, but ...

                    Also, I dare say that when looking at the price tags of such cockpits, and considering that you still have to add monitors and input devices, a thousand bucks for the VR set starts to look like the cheaper option...

                    • You still need controls in VR. If anything they are MORE important.

                      I've built two seat/control frames. One car controls, one airplane. Adaptable to wide variety of games. Saves a bunch on screens, but there is still an impulse to buy things like trim knobs etc, keyboards/console controllers really suck in VR, having 8 hat switches on throttle and stick is better but still.

                      I find that having good solid controls in my hands also helps decrease motions sickness.

                • VR solves the problem of immersion when it comes to video gaming.

                  I play a lot of games, I've never found this to be a problem

                  Not your cup of tea? Ok. Fortunately it's not mandatory to use and neither are you required to even consider it.

                  Correct, which is why it's not a problem. The issue of not liking VR is not solved by providing more VR gimmicks to convince people to like it more, it is solved by not using it. And that solution already exists for most people.

          • Re: (Score:2)

            by AHuxley ( 892839 )
            The main issues is the gpu needed. Why power a surround dome or tent when one consumer graphics card that can do 2K~4K?
            The fix is to have the human interacting normally but the cpu and gpu power is not ready.
            So just use one gpu and hope most of the users don't feel unwell or see all the wrong colors all the time.

    • ... the real reason is that VR is dead. Normal people get sick after about 15 minutes of using VR. You cannot solve that problem. It is physiological. Facebook wasted billions.

      Exactly.

    • VR in it's current form has many flaws. The resolution, while pretty good, is closer (relatively speaking) to flip-phones than it is a modern smartphone. The headsets are a bit too heavy, the FOV while good isn't great, the wires are annoying, and you need a beefy computer to power them. And of course it's expensive.

      What it is not, is sickness inducing. The technology, as it is now, does not cause nausea. I suppose someone extremely sensitive could feel unwell after using it for a while, but for the averag

      • Re:Real answer... (Score:4, Insightful)

        by arth1 ( 260657 ) on Thursday February 09, 2017 @12:09AM (#53830745) Homepage Journal

        What it is not, is sickness inducing. The technology, as it is now, does not cause nausea.

        When the inner ear tells one thing and vision tells another, queasiness is a common result. It doesn't matter how good the resolution is or how fast it updates.

        We can deal with stationary monitors and movie screens much better, because then the vision says one thing and the inner ear says nothing. When the inner ear doesn't give feedback, there's seldom problem. But when the inner ear says you've moved, but different from what your eyes tell you, you get motion sickness.

        Which is why children get car sick. Their inner ear tells them that they move sideways for each curve, but their eyes see a stationary seat back.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by JMZero ( 449047 )

        Yeah, Slashdot has become a reasonably depressing site, where people with no idea or insight come to be mad about technology. Sometimes it's grinding some pointless axe about a programming language, bit of software, or company - sometimes it's sour graping about expensive tech.

        You, me, and everyone else who has played with modern VR understands current limitations. Meanwhile, the critics are stuck in some weird time loop from 2007 where it makes everyone sick and doesn't track right and looks terrible. I

    • Considering how people I know keep picking up VR kids left and right, I can't really say that VR is dead. Occulus may be, though. It got wedged between the cheaper PS4 VR kit that pretty much offers what the Occulus does and the Vive which, while about 1.5 times as expensive, offers a lot better and more exact controls as well as a room-scale experience.

      Occulus has a problem, I give you that. VR itself... I wouldn't cast the verdict yet. I do agree, though, that it lacks that application that makes heads tu

      • The rift did get motion controls though. If you spend the same amt as a vive you can get the touch controllers, which provide much nicer and more exact controls than the vive wands.

        • Currently, Rift motion controls are not considered to be 'functional' at roomscale. They feel great in the hand, they perform poorly compare to the Vive wands, overall.

        • Yes, you can spend as much as you spend on a Vive without getting the same level of quality. I should have mentioned that.

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by JMZero ( 449047 )

          You need 3 cameras to do much with Oculus Touch (bringing the cost over that of a Vive) and the tracking is nowhere near as good. I have both headsets: the Oculus is more comfortable and makes for a generally a better visual experience, but Vive tracking and general roomscale experience is better. The Oculus cameras are a dead end - either they'll move to some kind of inside-out tracking, or something like Lighthouses will win.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by ljw1004 ( 764174 )

      ... the real reason is that VR is dead. Normal people get sick after about 15 minutes of using VR. You cannot solve that problem. It is physiological. Facebook wasted billions.

      I've never seen anyone get sick from room-scale VR, never. (I've watched my brother give demos of his VR setup to 20+ people now).

    • Normal people get sick after about 15 minutes of using VR. You cannot solve that problem. It is physiological

      The Oculus, yes. The VIVE on the other hand, is usable. Literally dozens of people I know (including me) get sick in the minutes on the Oculus, but can be in the VIVE for hours.

      I do like that Zuckerberg wasted billions on the wrong tech, and 500M more on Carmack's code in progress. Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy.

      • Someone down below the AC response correctly pointed out that I was speaking only about room-scale VIVE experiences. Artificial motion is nausea inducing. Room scale tends to work fine.

    • then those sick people can go fukoff, and the others are still a large market to make sales.

      You sick people can go play Switch Cow Milk game, yeah jerk that hand.

    • This is only a quarter true. My girlfriend gets motion sickness very easily (even in a standard keyboard/mouse/monitor FPS). She doesn't get motion sickness in VR because it's natural and not counter-intuitive. She does get queasy when using artificial locomotion however. It really depends on the game or experience.

      The only time I've ever gotten motion sickness in VR is when I tried that Deus Ex experience which is a port from the Oculus. There's buttons to rotate your view left and right which is really un

  • This thingy is the new Segway.

  • Out of desperation I went to one yesterday looking for a replacement case fan, and during prime shopping hours (about 6:30pm) there was like 4 customers in there and an entire army of drones shoveling their demo's in my face as I walked by, and of course not a single employee to actually point me to what I was looking for

    it was fucking annoying, so I made it all the way to the back of the store just to find out they didnt have the fan the website said was in stock, turned around and saw the gauntlet of sad

  • Good (Score:2, Insightful)

    by Anonymous Coward

    Fuck Facebook, fuck Palmer Luckey, and fuck Oculus.

  • There are still 500 Best Buy stores in the US?

  • VR is the new 3D TV (Score:4, Insightful)

    by OneHundredAndTen ( 1523865 ) on Wednesday February 08, 2017 @09:24PM (#53830135)
    Another ridiculously hyped technology that has yet to deliver.
    • It already delivers in spades, it's just too expensive.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by 26199 ( 577806 )

      Having tried it -- I disagree.

      The hardware is excellent. (Talking about the Vive, but I guess the Oculus is similar). The software is enough to see the potential, but there's huge room for improvement.

      90% of the people who I've seen try it have been extremely impressed. This includes kids (4 yrs old, 5 yrs old) and people who would never touch a 3D game. It's just incredibly easy to use and very, very compelling.

      The technology has delivered. Whether it will take off is now a matter of marketing, cost, and t

      • The technology has delivered. Whether it will take off is now a matter of marketing, cost, and the network effect -- there need to be more developers, more users, for software quality to increase.

        Cost is the #1 problem which holds all that other stuff back. My $600 PC will only produce sufficient graphics for one eye. I need a $1000 PC to fix that problem, and then a $300+ set of goggles. That's a lot of money; not a lot a lot, but plenty especially given the state of the economy. Even if you only count the $700 on top of what I've already spent (which isn't reasonable, but let's just pretend I could just upgrade which I can't) that's a set of decent tires, or what I spent on my whole goddamned PC.

  • 1900 (Score:3)

    by Snufu ( 1049644 ) on Thursday February 09, 2017 @03:24AM (#53831227)

    "This will be the year virtual reality takes off!"

    Repeat every 10-15 years.

  • The crash and burn of VR was predictable before the hype train took off and now it's come to pass. I'm not surprised that Occulus thinks the best way to sell the tech is a live demo. But even that doesn't seem to be working. After the initial wow factor passes, it's replaced with a dose of reality - the headset is uncomfortable, all the wires are a pain in the ass, the setup is too much effort, the games aren't exactly great and plentiful and the thing induces motion sickness, eyestrain and headaches. It's

    • Re:None of this should be surprising (Score:4, Insightful)

      by erktrek ( 473476 ) on Thursday February 09, 2017 @11:03AM (#53832533)

      While VR is very cool I just have a hard time seeing how it will appeal to the general public. Special niche markets (gaming,medical, military, architectural) maybe but not for everyone. AR/Mixed Reality on the other hand seems to be where it's at if they can get the "field of view" issues worked out. I can see so much more potential with AR - especially networked AR but I may lack the imagination necessary to truly appreciate VR's mass appeal.

  • How is Best Buy even a thing anymore?

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