If it wasn’t exciting enough to use the OCULUS Quest as a VR headset for PC, Facebook will be adding more new features soon. First of all, the quest Oculus gets Passthrough+, which allows you to see a stereoscopic view of the outside world every time you reach the limits of your gaming space.
This is something that Rift S already offers, and it will be a huge improvement over the flat 2D version of Passthrough that is currently running on the Quest. You can also activate this feature at any time with Passthrough “on demand”, a new feature that will be released after this year that will allow you to get an insight into your environment at any time.
In addition, Facebook is adding OCULUS Go titles to the quest, starting with 50 Go apps next week. You can also upgrade to the Quest versions of all the apps you bought on the go by the end of the year. (Honestly, this is something that Facebook should offer indefinitely.)
With all these new features and the promise of gadget-free finger tracking next year, it’s clear that Oculus wants to make the Quest its first VR headset. That’s bad news for the Rift S, but good news for anyone who wants a versatile VR headset.
Since we launched Oculus Go two years ago, VR technology has improved at an incredible pace. The success of the Oculus Go initially proved that the all-in-one form factor can provide highly immersive experiences. A year after, the Oculus Quest redefined the category, with complete head and hand movements powered by our Insight tracking system. Quest enabled incredible VR games like Beat Saber, Dance Central and the Climb with the freedom of a connectionless experience, as well as access to powerful PC games like Asgard’s Wrath and Stormland via Oculus Link. Right after Quest’s first birthday, we are honored with its continued success. The reaction from the community was extremely positive, and they told us loud and clear that 6DOF looked like the future of VR. Therefore, we will do everything, and we will NO LONGER ship 3DOF VR products.
We will be ending sales of OCULUS Go headsets this year as we step up our efforts to improve our Quest and Rift offerings. Today we are also happy to give an overview of a new way for developers to distribute the Quest apps from next year, so that you can get even more into the next chapter with us.
