Oculus has so far been strict with what games it allows to launch on the Oculus Quest, leaving developers that aren’t granted official approval either out in the cold or made to look toward unofficial methods like sideloading to get their games on the standalone VR headset.
But starting in 2021, Oculus is looking to launch an alternative way for those devs to bring their games to the Quest without launching on the platform’s tightly curated Oculus Store. It’s something Oculus briefly mentioned a few months back, but has largely remained coy about until now.
However even with today’s announcement there’s not much for specifics on exactly how Oculus is approaching this sanctioned alternative quite yet.
While more details are due in the future, Oculus notes that today’s announcement serves as a heads up to developers that previously launched games on the soon-to-be-sunset Oculus Go that they’ll likely be able to rehome their apps on the Oculus Quest in the near future (and give those developers time to rebuild their Go apps to for the newer headset).
“We’ve heard that many developers and enthusiasts are looking for easier ways to distribute apps outside of the Oculus Store. We’re excited to announce that in early 2021 we’ll offer a new way for developers to distribute Quest apps,” writes Oculus. “This will enable developers to share their apps to anyone with a Quest, without having to be accepted into the Oculus Store, and without the need for sideloading.”
“By making it easier for more developers to reach Quest owners in the future, we hope to spark inspiration with those who will build the next wave of engaging experiences for Quest.”
More details on the shift and resources for devs interested in making the jump can be found here.