Configuring a Meta Quest (or Oculus Quest) headset will soon be possible using an exclusive virtual reality account, with no direct link to Facebook.
In a short post on Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg announces that he has decided to make his Meta Quest (formerly Oculus Quest) headsets independent of his social network. “You will no longer need a Facebook account to log into Quest starting next month. We are in the process of rolling out new Meta accounts for you to use in our VR headsets instead. This will give everyone more choices to come to the metaverse”
Facebook, the thorn in the side of Facebook
If the Meta group owes everything to Facebook (remember that, until October 28, 2021, Facebook belonged to the Facebook group), the social network is today what slows down the group the most. At the origin of many scandals (Cambridge Analytica, Facebook Files, etc.), Facebook is a brand that struggles to reassure users. Many do not trust and, logically, refuse to touch anything that comes under Mark Zuckerberg’s group. This is a problem for Meta who, with its VR headsets, hopes to seduce beyond these divisions.
Today, when configuring a Quest headset, it is imperative to log in using a Facebook account. This unlocks access to the Oculus Store, but also to social functions to communicate with friends or access collaborative applications. Tomorrow, that will no longer be the case.
Why is Meta disconnecting its Quest headsets from Facebook, other than to go after the few reluctant geeks? The most likely hypothesis is that Mark Zuckerberg’s group fears the arrival of new players, like Apple, who are preparing to end their virtual monopoly. With a more open Quest ecosystem, Meta should stand up to its new rivals for longer. It is also a way for him to avoid any form of accusation of anti-competitive practice, while the authorities could one day wonder about the too close relationship between the properties of the group. In the meantime, European alternatives, such as Lynx, are developing.