Oculus took to Twitter today to announce a big upcoming change to its devices’ login feature. The VR software/hardware designer will essentially nix Oculus accounts, and instead, require users to connect their Facebook accounts going forward. After January 1st, 2023, Oculus VR devives without a connected Facebook account will continue to work, but not at “full functionality.” Considering that Facebook is the parent company of the brand, this move seemed inevitable to many. That didn’t stop the countless criticizing replies rolling in under their tweet from users disappointed in the update.
Among the naysayers was God of War director Cory Barlog, who made it clear in his reply that he had no intention of returning to Facebook after deleting his account years ago. He even went as far as to say that he would be finding another VR solution in the coming years to avoid doing so. Oculus insists that the transition is good thing though, promising a simplified way to “find, connect, and play with friends in VR.” This notion was rejected pretty adversely by respondents, with some highlighting Facebook and its subsidiary’s data-collecting allegations. Chet Faliszek, the co-founder of game studio Stray Bombay, tweeted out highlighting Oculus’ tracking and storing of user information and physical movement, regarding it as malicious and a violation of privacy.
Despite these negative reactions, it seems that Oculus is moving forward with their decision to require Facebook accounts for full device usage. Those looking for VR alternatives can look into HTC VIVE, SteamVR, as well as a number of other hardware and software out there. To view Oculus’ full-length blog post breaking down these changes to come, click here.