VR is bigger than gaming, bigger than sports or interactive drama or pornography. It's an alternative world that can be built from the ground up, that will allow us to experiment with new forms of embodiment and society. The whole process involves experimenting with, and shedding certain aspects of, one's identity. And Facebook wants to cast our identities in stone - and god help those who maintain pseudonyms.
This great team of hackers got wealth in exchange for their dream. It's a shame; they could have kept the dream and sold their product instead.