Hot take here: Facebook isn’t the highest regarded company out there. Many people have concerns with the way their private (or public, depending on your perspective) data is used. When Oculus was bought by Facebook in 2014, initial concerns grew into fears that the social media company would influence the direction that Oculus would go in the future. (To be fair, they do make some pretty good headsets).
Now though, spare a thought for the anti-Facebook brigade, as Oculus have announced via a blog post that starting this October, Facebook accounts will become more and more important for Oculus VR users.
Firstly, for anyone who hadn’t already jumped onto the VR train (and admittedly, it’s a very expensive train ticket), Facebook accounts will be required in order to set up a profile on the device. For those who already have Oculus accounts, they have a simple choice to make: merge the account with a Facebook one, or don’t and have a two-year deadline until their account is closed. The VR headset will still work, but users will lose all the functionality that they would otherwise have with an account.
Today, we’re announcing some important updates to how people log into Oculus devices, while still keeping their VR profile. Starting in October 2020, everyone using an Oculus device for the first time will need to log in with a Facebook account. // https://t.co/SMeDOXgehN
— Meta Quest (@MetaQuestVR) August 18, 2020
They have also said for people who choose not to merge their accounts: “We will take steps to allow you to keep using content you have purchased, though we expect some games and apps may no longer work. This could be because they include features that require a Facebook account or because a developer has chosen to no longer support the app or game you purchased. All future unreleased Oculus devices will require a Facebook account, even if you already have an Oculus account.”
Oculus says that the update will make it easier to “find, connect, and play with friends in VR”. The connection with Facebook will “make it possible to integrate many of the features people know and love on Facebook”, such as chats, parties, events, and being able to tune into live experiences in Oculus Venues. The change in account services will also bring across the Facebook Community Standards as well as a new additional VR-focused policy.
What do you think of these changes? Leave a comment. Will we see a Rockstar game hit the platform too? Possibly.
