The maker of virtual-reality goggles that Facebook Inc is positioned to acquire at a $2 billion price-point has been sued by a video game maker over intellectual property claims. According to a complaint filed by ZeniMax yesterday, Oculus VR Inc allegedly took copyrighted computer code, trade secrets and technical know-how wrongfully and exploited it for their own benefit. The central issue of the claim is the popular virtual reality goggles called the "Rift" that garnered attraction from potential buyers, including Facebook, Bloomberg said.
Facebook's acquisition of Oculus was done on the social network's foray into wearable hardware market. The $2 billion price-tag is Facebook's bet that virtual reality will be the future's mainstream communication method, Bloomberg said.
In the complaint, ZeniMax said that the roots of the complaint dated back to 2012 when one of its employees, JOhn Carmack, had started corresponding with Oculus VR founder Palmer Luckey. ZeniMax claimed in the complaint that it transformed the "Rift" headset by the addition of hardware and specialized software.
ZeniMax supposedly disclosed its proprietary improvements following its confidentiality agreement with Luckey. Carmack had demonstrated the technology at the Electronic Entertainment Expo convention in June 2012 in Los Angeles, the complaint detailed. Days after the presentation at the convention, Luckey allegedly formed Oculus. ZeniMax said that its discussions with Oculus about the payment for the former's enhancements went sour as Luckey's company became evasive and uncooperative.
ZeniMax said that Luckey began pirating its employees, including Carmack, to gain know-how on virtual reality.
ZeniMax is reportedly seeking unspecified damages for the charges that include trade-secret misappropriation, copyright and trademark infringement, breach of contract and unfair competition, Bloomberg said, citing the complaint.
In an emailed statement, Oculus said about the complaint, "The lawsuit filed by ZeniMax has no merit whatsoever. As we have previously said, ZeniMax did not contribute to any Oculus technology. Oculus will defend these claims vigorously."
