PiperJaffray Sees Oculus Rift As a 'Significant Long Term Opportunity' For Facebook

In a report published Thursday, PiperJaffray analyst Gene Munster stated that Oculus Rift will provide a "significant long term (five plus years) opportunity for

given the potential size of the virtual reality opportunity. Munster explained that Oculus Rift has two form factors with different goals. The "best" version of Oculus is Crescent Bay, which has yet to be released but was demonstrated at the CES event. The Crescent Bay delivers a "powerful interactive experience" but requires a high graphics powered computer to run it. The "more consumer friendly" version of Oculus Rift is the Gear VR which became available in December 2014 through a partnership with

Munster stated that this device is mobile and inexpensive and does not require a computer and will be supported by the new Samsung Galaxy S6 devices. Munster also commented on

Project Morpheus which will create an "epic gaming experience," but will require a PlayStation 4 to run operate the device. The analyst added that details on content remain limited but the gaming market is the first market that will drive measurable revenue from virtual reality. Finally, Munster stated that HTC is a "wounded brand," although it has had some early success In the world of virtual reality. Specifically, HTC has partnered with the company Valve and a developer version of its VIVE headset will be available in the spring with a consumer launch set for the end of the year. Shares of Facebook are Overweight rated with an $84 price target.