Going forward, you will also need a Facebook login to use all upcoming Oculus devices, even if you have an existing Oculus account. Recent reports suggest that Facebook will announce a new version of its popular Oculus Quest headset in September. Given the company’s new policy, that device will likely only work with a Facebook account.
Facebook denies that the move will benefit Oculus users for several reasons. The first of these is that the company says it will be easier for those individuals to find and connect with their friends. It will also allow Facebook to integrate features such as Horizon, the social VR world that the company announced in 2019. Perhaps most importantly, the company claims that the policy will enable it to provide users with a more consistent way to report trolls and other bad actors. “Using a VR profile supported by a Facebook account and authentic identity helps us protect the community and enables us to provide additional tools for integrity,” the company said.
For those who want to keep their Facebook and VR friends separate, this is something you can do even if you have merged your accounts. You also do not have to share your real name with people you meet through all the Oculus games you play.
As you can imagine, some Oculus owners are not happy about the announcement. The blog post in which Facebook detailed the policy change has all its share of comments with colorful language. In a way, though, the writing has been on the wall for a while. Last year, Oculus introduced new social features that you could only access through a Facebook account. The social media giant also started using data it had collected from Oculus headsets in advertisements.
