Meta Collaborates with Former Oculus Founder’s Company to Develop Advanced AR and VR Systems for the US Military

Man, so there’s this wild twist in the world of tech and military stuff. Palmer Luckey, the guy who kicked off Oculus back in 2012, the one who basically rekindled everyone’s love affair with VR, is back in the game. Yep, you heard me. His new gig? Hanging out with Meta to dream up what might be the ultimate AR and VR kit for the military. Crazy, right?

So, a quick rewind: Oculus was this fast-paced startup, and then Facebook was like, “Hey, we want in!” and tossed over $2 billion at it in 2014. Fast forward a bit, and Luckey got the boot from them—something about politics, but who really knows? Anyway, he bounced back with Anduril, another tech company that’s soaring into the billions.

Now, with a background in VR, it makes sense—kind of like destiny or something—that Anduril would dive into XR tech. Oh, and don’t forget drones and sensors! This February, they swiped Microsoft’s struggling IVAS project. You know, those AR helmets the Army’s been drooling over? Yeah.

Then there’s this announcement about the dynamic duo of Anduril and Meta. They’re allegedly working together to birth a batch of XR gadgets that’ll make soldiers feel like they’re in a sci-fi movie. They’re claiming it’s going to save the military billions. No taxpayer money involved either, which is nice. I guess?

Luckey seems pretty pumped, saying he’s thrilled to be playing ball with Meta again. His words, not mine: “This mission’s turning soldiers into tech wizards!” Dramatic much? But hey, if it works, why not?

Oh, and can’t forget how Zuckerberg and Bosworth chimed in too—trying to make amends maybe? There’s a picture of Zuck and Luckey, all smiles, looking buddy-buddy—for now, at least.

All this, and they’re still apparently hammering away on that IVAS AR helmet, a massive $20 billion project. Microsoft might’ve started it, but now it seems Anduril’s the one running the show, with Meta pitching in their gadget wizardry.

And the drama continues…