{"id":340130,"date":"2017-05-05T07:00:34","date_gmt":"2017-05-04T23:00:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/techcrunch.com\/?p=1485632"},"modified":"2017-05-05T07:00:34","modified_gmt":"2017-05-04T23:00:34","slug":"facebook-shutters-oculus-story-studio-original-vr-content-division","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/asmawisham\/facebook-shutters-oculus-story-studio-original-vr-content-division\/","title":{"rendered":"Facebook shutters Oculus Story Studio original VR content division"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

Virtual reality may be in desperate need of some content, but Facebook\u2019s Oculus will now be focusing its efforts on investing in rather than creating\u00a0virtual reality.<\/p>\n

Oculus VP of Content Jason Rubin announced<\/a> today that the company\u00a0will\u00a0shut down\u00a0its\u00a0award-winning cinematic VR division, Oculus Story Studio.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter careful consideration, we\u2019ve decided to shift our focus away from internal content creation to support\u00a0more external production,\u201d Rubin wrote. \u201cAs part of that shift, we\u2019ll be winding down Story Studio.\u201d<\/p>\n

At the Oculus Connect developer conference in October, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg detailed that the company had already invested more than $250 million in original VR content and would be putting another quarter billion into original content plays as it looked to give Rift and Gear VR users something to watch on their headsets.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Rubin details that $50 million of its committed funds will now be set aside for the company to invest exclusively in\u00a0non-gaming, interactive content.<\/p>\n

Oculus Story Studio was founded in 2014 to explore creating\u00a0original cinematic content for the virtual reality company. Last year the studio\u00a0won an Emmy<\/a>\u00a0for its animated short Henry, a Pixar-esque story about a prickly hedgehog that loves to give hugs.<\/p>\n

In the midst of creating its latest project,\u00a0Dear Angelica<\/em>, the Story Studio team created an extensive VR painting product called Quill which allowed users to create\u00a0content inside virtual reality. As a part of the shut down, Quill will continue to be available for download in the Oculus store, but will no longer be receiving updates, though Oculus plans to open source the software.<\/p>\n

The sudden shutdown\u00a0comes as the studio is in the midst of producing its fourth major project, The Wolves in the Walls, which the company confirms has now been cancelled.<\/p>\n

About 50 people will be let go\u00a0at\u00a0Oculus Story Studio as a part of the shutdown. An Oculus spokesperson tells TechCrunch that the company plans to find new roles for these employees elsewhere\u00a0inside Oculus or Facebook.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\"\" Virtual reality may be in desperate need of some content, but Facebook’s Oculus will now be focusing its efforts on investing in rather than creating\u00a0virtual reality. Oculus VP of Content Jason Rubin announced today that the company\u00a0will\u00a0shut down\u00a0its\u00a0award-winning cinematic VR division, Oculus Story Studio. “After careful consideration, we’ve decided to shift our focus… Read More<\/a><\/p>\n

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