Updated: Finally, you can ditch the Facebook account login for the Meta Quest (aka Oculus Quest 2), and use a new Met account instead, untethering your virtual reality experience from any social media networks.
Meta previously announced it will be introducing a new account system for its virtual reality headsets that will start rolling out. And now that rollout has begun, meaning Facebook will no longer be needed in any form while logging into our pick for the best VR headset.
Don’t worry this doesn’t mean you will be locked out of your headset or lose your apps. If you have been using a Facebook account for your Quest headset, you will need to make a new Meta account. If you have been using an Oculus account, you can keep using that till January 1 2023. Once you migrate your account from either Facebook or Oculus, Meta says you should be able to see the VR apps you previously purchased.
Annoyingly, one of the only ways to log into the Quest headsets before this was to use a Facebook login. Scores of people raised complaints against this citing that they did not want to link their social media accounts to the platform. Many people also refrained from getting a Quest headset primarily for this reason.
“Our new Meta account structure gives you more flexibility and control, letting you choose how you do and don’t show up—and whether Facebook and / or Instagram is part of your experience in VR and other surfaces where you use your Meta Horizon profile,” Meta said in a blog post (opens in new tab).
Interestingly, a new Meta still requires quite a bit of information like address, email, date of birth and payment details. Meta does say this is not a social profile, but with Meta moving more towards metaverse environments, it does need you to create a Meta Horizon profile.
After renaming the Oculus Quest 2 headset to Meta Quest, the company is now focussing on its Metaverse pursuits and seems to be creating an ecosystem for it. This includes the Horizon social profiles and it also gives Meta a chance to go beyond its old name.
