The History of the Future

The author of Console Wars reveals the story behind Oculus and its quest for virtual reality: “Masterful . . . filled with unforgettable characters” (Forbes). From iconic books like Neuromancer to blockbuster films like The Matrix, virtual reality has offered a tantalizing vision of the future. But outside of a few research labs and military training facilities, this technology was mere science fiction. Until 2012, when Oculus founder Palmer Luckey—then just a teenage dreamer living alone in a camper trailer—invents a device that has the potential to change the world. With the help of a videogame legend, a serial entrepreneur, and many other colorful characters, Luckey’s scrappy startup kickstarts a revolution and sets out to bring VR to the masses. What follows is the ultimate entrepreneurial journey, a tale of battles won and lost, lessons learned and shocking turns—including an unlikely multi-billion-dollar acquisition by Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg. Drawing on over a hundred interviews with the key players driving this revolution, The History of the Future weaves together a rich, cinematic narrative that captures the breakthroughs, breakdowns, and human drama of trying to change the world. The result is a supremely entertaining look at the birth of a game-changing new industry.