Meta will delete all non-migrated Oculus accounts in March - The Verge

fne8w2ah@lemmy.world to Technology@lemmy.world – 258 points –
Meta says it’s deleting all Oculus accounts at the end of the month
theverge.com
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Oculus could have been great, it's a shame that Meta metastasized and destroyed them.

My account still isn't migrated. Having sold my CV1 for an Index, and even having switched to Linux since, I don't think I'll bother.

But man... Really, really good times were had on that headset, Echo VR, Robo Recall, From Other Suns...

I'm still rocking the HTC Vive I bought after I found out Oculus had been bought out, but one of these days I'd like to upgrade. Vive still works pretty great though. How are you liking the Index?

Heavy, the blacks aren't black, the audio was twice better on the CV1, but the framerate and tracking quality is unbeatable. Resolution and FOV bump is nice, too.

My hands are way too large for the Index Controllers, I desperately want something to replace them.

I need to do this to reach the system button, and I can't always just hold the controller further down due to how the strap works.

Most of the time I hold it with just my fingers so my thumb actually lands where the buttons are, but it's meant to be strapped to the palm of the hand. I've yet to figure out a way to hold them that makes the joystick comfortable to use, it's too far to the side from where you'd want to put your thumb.

Big huge bonus is that it works on Linux. I'm happy with the headset, oled would be nice, and audio was much better on the CV1. But it's not bad.

But I would kill for a lighthouse tracked version of the original oculus touch controllers.

That's kind of a bummer but at least you can use other peripherals if you want. I think the Vive controllers are pretty decent even though they're a little dated.

I love all the things Valve has done for gaming on Linux.

Thanks for the mini-review btw!

Lighthouse tracking rocks, I'm never going back to constellation so in that regard it's an upgrade. Misses in Beat Saber due to tracking errors do not happen. And inside-out is just garbage for anything but the actual head-tracking. My dad has a Quest.

I sorely miss the low weight and ergonomics of the touch controllers. They were brilliant, and though it was more basic, their finger tracking could already do all that you'd want. I've not felt it worth the effort to replace the knuckles, unless I can match that.

I think you can use the Vive controllers and lighthouse with the Index, but you can't use differing models of lighthouses at the same time (which would be pretty cool)

How is the Index? I don't know anything about it beyond Steam games in VR.

Made a comment in reply to the other guy asking the same.

Thanks, man. Looks like I'll be waiting a bit. I've got big hands, too.

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Yes. I was going to get one and instantly changed my mind when it was purchased by Facebook.

Yep, instantly got crappier when it switched from oculus to Facebook. Maybe my memory is failing, but I thought I recall switching from oculus to Facebook and then recently from Facebook to meta account. Shitier and Shitier.

I remember being excited about oculus when they started developing their headsets. Then I heard Facebook bought them, and the first thing Zuckerbot had to say about it was how excited he was to develop Virtual Reality advertisements. I have never lost as much interest in a product as quickly before or since.

The sacrifice might still end up being worth something as Facebook subsidised so much of the cost of the hardware in the push that they ended up selling over 20 million headsets introducing VR to a huge new audience. If that actually translates to long term VR users or fizzles down as a one-off curiosity we shall see in the coming years when those people are up for an upgrade.

One could argue that someone other than Facebook/Meta could have done better but I guess we'll never know for sure.

I know! Oculus would have been great at it! lol

I still shudder to imagine what the CV2 could have been. CV1 remains one of the best designed VR systems to this day.

The oled display, 90fps, fantastic audio, light HMD, ergonomic controllers... Its only real weakness was the constellation tracking, and with my three tracker setup even that became nearly a non-issue.

Replace the tracking with lighthouse, maybe upgrade the oled with one from today, put in the newer optics that reduce godrays to nearly nil... It would be unbeatable.

I still found those controllers to be the most comfortable and best VR controllers I've ever used. The Index controllers are great for its features but they're a bit too heavy for my liking.

The thought of taking a powerdrill to mine, ghetto gaming mouse weight reduction style, has crossed my mind many times.

Better hardware, sure, but only Facebook was reckless and rich enough to risk throwing so much money at it. The reason competing headsets (index, HTC etc) are so expensive are because those companies need to turn profit from selling the headset. Facebook decided to try selling headsets basically at a loss, and hope to get money from the oculus store instead. That resulted in really cheap headsets that were much more affordable to curious people to just buy and try without a $1000+ investment and a requirement for a gaming PC.

That's something basically only Google, Facebook or Amazon, and maybe Tesla/Musk, could afford to try.

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Gee. Remember the last time Meta lied about this sort of thing? I remember.

https://www.pcworld.com/article/393371/oculus-vr-headsets-will-soon-require-a-facebook-account.html

When Meta bought Oculus, I boxed up my OG Quest and threw it in the basement, and bought a Reverb G2. I'd rather be tied to a dead platform (WMR) than Meta. Fuck Meta, and fuck Facebook. Don't buy their products, don't give them your data, don't give them a dime.

Yeah, Oculus went from neutral-leaning-positive in my mind to not-worth-consideration as soon as FB bought it.

When Meta bought Oculus, I boxed up my OG Quest and threw it in the basement,

Meta (at the time it was still just named Facebook) bought Oculus before they ever released a retail product. Facebook bought them between the release of the original dev kit on Kickstarter and the dk2 in 2014. They had already been owned by Facebook for 2 years when the first Retail Rift came out in 2016. The first Quest didn't come out until 2019, 5 years after Facebook/Meta bought Oculus.

For the story to make sense, I'm guessing that the person you're responding to meant OG Oculus or OG Rift as in the development kit.

You're right, I'm not sure why I put Quest. I've never owned a Quest, that came out long after I ditched them.

Facebook bought oculus before the release of the CV1...

Did you put a DK1 or 2 in your basement?

Unfortunately the Reverb G2 will be junk when WMR is removed from Windows.

I'd doubt it. There are already open source projects to make it (and other similar headsets) work without WMR including on Linux, and it's likely you'll be able to shoehorn and install the final release of WMR back into Windows manually just like you can with all kinds of other legacy Microsoft stuff.

The article is about not having to link your Meta account and your Facebook account.

And the time before that, when Meta claimed you would not need a Meta/Facebook account at all and could continue using your old Oculus account. They reneged on that within about a year, from what I recall. Sources on that are tough to find because they've been trampled by the more recent bait-and-switch, and subsequently this one.

Long story short, Meta has now lied three times about the ongoing account requirements to continue to use the hardware you've already paid for, pulling the rug out from users contradicting what they said before.

And this is why I never bought an oculus. I don't trust that dirt bag company.

I bought a cv1 when it was just Oculus.

I'm not very fond of the later developments.

I did the migration though, because it's not like I have a choice, and the damn thing still has no Linux support.

Maybe I'll switch to something else when I rebuild my machine when all the construction work is done here and I finally have an office and a proper network again. Getting really tired of my laptop's tiny screen.

How is this legal? Feels ridiculous to lose games I paid for just because I didn't migrate my account. Same with the Microsoft minecraft account migration. When I bought my CV1 there was the promise that I would not need a facebook account.

This is why I buy physical or steam, even though steam is a copout lol. Steam has never let me down

Yep, I wish I bought all my VR games from steam, but I bought a few from oculus when I first bought the headset. Also some games are oculus exclusive :/

I miss the days when you had a computer you could basically play anything with minimal BS involved.

Steam has never let you down yet

Yarr

You don't need a facebook account a meta account was available as an alternative. That's great right? Much better!!!

I don't know if meta accounts still exist... The whole migration was a huge mess. The oculus brand was much cooler. I wouldn't have bought my oculus quest 1 if it had been a facebook product back then.

You don't need a facebook account a meta account was available as an alternative. That's great right? Much better!!!

Actually yes. The problem with needing a Facebook account was that it was part of an unrelated service (social network, messenger, etc.) that you couldn't separate. Meta accounts are separate accounts for VR only, much like the previous Oculus accounts.

Makes me think...

It really is better.

I don't trust them not to associate these accounts together with Facebook accounts internally. But that's a bit conspiracyish.

Well considering they basically did just that with Instagram and WhatsApp, it wouldn't be surprising if they did.

Facebook has owned oculus since before the CV1, but I agree it was much less intergrated and still felt like a separate brand. I'm definitely biased as fuck, but "oculus" is infinitely better than "meta". Much better sounding name. I just made a meta account to migrate my oculus account, but I can't find any way to do it on PC without a quest. I don't have a quest, so I guess I'm fucked?

Can't you do it in the mobile app?

I actually figured it out trying to login to the app, I just needed to login to meta with my oclulus account credentials and it migrated it, not the most obvious thing. I like how the app constantly asks for location permission despite me not having a quest to pair it to. Also I find it funny that they care so little for the CV1 it shows a rift S for its picture lol

I was playing Minecraft on and off since the alpha, and refused to upgrade to Microsoft account. I bought computer lego, not a Microsoft tracking app.

I have simply chosen not to own an Oculus Rift.

Problem solved.

It's a great product, just not well managed by a trustworthy company. I worked at target back in the day when the Quest 2 was around and I got one brand new for about $220 after employee discounts and gift card offers.

It's a shame to see it change over time, but damn is the price accessible compared to $800+ headsets at the time. You gotta admit it really lowered the bar for entry for VR seeing how it's now also 40% of SteamVR users.

I really hate what they've done with the product.

But due to the low price point VR has taken off and loads of parents got it for thier kids. That means more Devs have made games and more competition making headsets.

more competition making headsets

quite the opposite has happened, there are fewer companies making headsets now. Microsoft is removing their version of open platform, mixed reality from windows entirely...

But without content or Meta focusing so hard, it's likely more projects would have shut down sooner.

Just because Microsoft cancels a project, that doesn't mean shit.

Microsoft is famous for buying up and shutting down new tech.

For a couple years now, I've only had an old PSVR. It's obviously limited, has quite low res and is only usable for a few games on my PS4, but hey, it was my entry point to VR anyway, and it's already pretty fun.

I know at some point I will get a PC VR set, if only to get more out of it. And I already know I am ready to pay significantly more for it not to be meta. I don't care if they pretend their accounts are separate, I don't trust them and I want nothing to do with them.

I'm interested to see what comes of Sony adding PC support to the PSVR2.

If it just drops right into SteamVR I might pick one up.

Yep. I was actually seriously thinking of getting a MQ2 or 3 in January, but knowing that Meta could just decide to brick it overnight meant I held off.

Glad I got the Q3 when I did then if this would have meant losing the 3 apps I accidentally purchased on the Q2 instead of on Steam.

I do kinda feel bad for the Meta employee that has to monitor me beating off to VR porn tho.

How's the experience? Asking for a buddy

It's better than the Q2 visually and performance wise; exactly the same UI/UX otherwise. I like how much lighter it is, too. I keep falling asleep while using it to watch movies in a super comfy VRchat world.

I haven't used any other VR devices aside from some crazy experience in the 90's at Disney Land they had in Tomorrow Land once and Google Cardboard back when that was a new thing. It's 1000 times better than that was lol

I didn't migrate and abandoned anything Meta, I view this as an absolute win! Saved me the time hah

Does anyone else read it is “Occultus?” or is it just me?

This is the best summary I could come up with:


In an email sent to users, the company says it will delete Oculus accounts on March 29th, 2024, preventing you from reactivating or retrieving your apps, in-app purchases, store credits, and more.

Meta stopped letting users log in to their Oculus accounts in January 2023.

If you’ve got a Quest gathering dust in a drawer somewhere, now’s your last chance to migrate your Oculus account to a Meta one.

From there, you’ll be able to access all of the same games, data, and other purchases saved to your Oculus account.

Several of us here at The Verge received the email, including a couple of my colleagues who have already converted their Oculus accounts to Meta.

The Verge reached out to Meta with a request for more information but didn’t immediately hear back.


The original article contains 279 words, the summary contains 132 words. Saved 53%. I'm a bot and I'm open source!

I don't get the angry comments... Oculus 1 only require an email address, because people didn't want to have to link their oculus account with their Facebook account.

...I don't know about Oculus 2, but the article is saying that Oculus 3 only requires a Meta account... It's not saying it has to be linked to your Facebook account.

Your account will just switch from being with Oculus, to being with Meta... It doesn't say anything about this suddenly linking your Facebook account to your Oculus/Meta account.

It doesn't have to say it. All Meta accounts automatically link all Meta products into it. Including Facebook and Instagram. It somehow knew about my Instagram even though I used a different email for that than I did with Facebook years ago, and when I made my Meta account for the Q3 it linked Facebook, Instagram and Oculus together without any additional input from me.

I deleted my Facebook account the first time they said you'd have to link your oculus account to Facebook and were banning new accounts people created to do so. I just converted my oculus to meta and still don't have a Facebook or Instagram account.

I got my rift s shelved because broken cable and replacement costs more than used quest 2. I don't even bother migrating, as all my games are on steam.

Meta also own Instagram and Threads... And you don't have to link those two services either.

...that's a lot more account separation than Google gives you. It's gets some people's phone, email, location, and search history.