Starting in August, you will no longer need to connect a Facebook account to use Meta's virtual reality (VR) headset, as the company is rolling out a new account system.
Meta accounts will be the new standard moving forward (opens in a new tab) for new and existing users. The move repeals a long-standing requirement that required Oculus users to sign in with Facebook to use the Meta headset.
People using a Facebook account will be forced to make the switch. Meta's original plan to drop support for Oculus accounts is still scheduled for January 1, 2023. After that date, you'll need to create a new Meta account in order to continue playing.
The company clarifies that its account system is not directly linked to social media platforms. Nobody will know what you are playing unless you share the information. But people have the option to connect their Meta account to Facebook or Instagram through the Account Center (opens in a new tab) and unlock new features. These include finding Facebook friends to play VR games and talking to people on the Messenger app.
The company is also working on a feature that will allow you to use your Meta account on other Meta devices. We reached out to Meta to find out when the extended feature will be released and what else Meta is working on. We will update this story if we receive a response.
New profiles and security
In addition to Meta accounts, the company is rolling out Horizon profiles with new privacy controls.
Horizon Profiles are in-game accounts that will house a player's unique avatar, profile picture, and username. You can only have one Horizon profile per account. It will also change the menu language a bit when turning your friends into followers, just like on Instagram. Meta assures that this word will change "more ways to socialize and connect with others. This interactivity can be furthered by players sharing recently unlocked achievements and their active status, based on the examples given.
As for privacy controls, a new menu is added with three screen settings: Open to everyone, Friends and family, and Only. These settings allow users to control who can see their profile, from everyone on the platform to you. Users can also set their Horizon profile to private to better filter subscriber requests. However, things like your username and profile picture will still be visible.
To say that people don't like Facebook is an understatement. Goodwill towards the platform has deteriorated in recent years and it doesn't help that Meta has admitted that it doesn't always know what happens to the user data it collects. And then there are the massive data breaches.
Needless to say, removing the Facebook account requirement is a big deal. Non-Facebook accounts for Quest headsets have been in the works for some time (opens in a new tab). Now the question is what is Meta's goal with these accounts?
If we had to guess, the new account system appears to be a continuation of Meta trying to distance itself further from Facebook as the company works to make the Metaverse viable. But if a recent Insider report (opens in a new tab) is any indication, company CEO Mark Zuckerberg's "obsession" is only turning people away.
If you want to get a VR headset, TechRadar has a list of recommendations.