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Introducing Meta Accounts: A New Login for VR | Meta Quest Blog

Today we’re introducing Meta accounts: a new way for people to log into their VR headsets that doesn’t require a Facebook account. When we announced that we would start requiring people to log into Meta Quest using a Facebook account, we received a lot of feedback from the Quest community. We...

www.oculus.com

In August 2022, we’ll begin rolling out a new Meta account structure that gives people more flexibility and control in VR. You’ll no longer be required to log into your Meta VR devices with a Facebook account.

Your Meta account lets you log into your VR devices and view and manage your purchased apps in one place—it’s not a social profile.

Good riddance.

 

[jshackles]

Good riddance indeed, but too late. Presumably this will become standard on their upcoming devices as well, which is good.

But we need less walled gardens.

 

[Fredrik]

Sigh too late I already created an account and now friends and relatives will think I’m ignoring them if I stop using it

 

[Kuranghi]

In my shop the Meta rep is this jolly Geordie man with a funny haircut and sometimes I forget he works for that giant evil company because he's so nice.

He gave me a water bottle so Meta can't be that bad!

 

[It's all in the wrist]

So what if you already bought games? Can you download them without the account?

 

[MightySquirrel]

Sigh too late I already created an account and now friends and relatives will think I’m ignoring them if I stop using it

I just don't want my grandma liking and commenting on my feed

 

[sendit]

Great, now I can go back to using it with an off account for pron.

 

[Punished Miku]

Good. Now announce that Meta has a booth at E3 2023.

 

[Fredrik]

I just don't want my grandma liking and commenting on my feed

Tbh it sounds great! My grandma passed away years ago but she became 101 years old and used a PC and was all kinds of awesome Would’ve been an honor to have her check my fb!

But I barely use fb to be honest, I don’t really understand it, jumped in too late I think.

 

[Skifi28]

Sigh too late I already created an account and now friends and relatives will think I’m ignoring them if I stop using it

I'm ignoring them without an account.

 

[Griffon]

Good! Gets me hyped for Quest 3.

 

[Daytonabot]

You're still giving money to the Zuckerberg mother ship and therefore part of the problem.

 

[reinking]

Translation: we have found a new way to track you and your data that no longer requires Facebook. I'm still in when this goes into effect or at the next upgraded model.

 

[GymWolf]

Any news on quest 3?

 

[R6Rider]

Too late for me. Just going to wait for PSVR2. Might consider a Quest 3 down the road depending on what games it gets.

Currently have lots of games to catch up on PSVR too.

 

[Droxcy]

Quest 2 is a fantastic device.. Also if FB would've just kept their greedy little hands outta of their user metrics and wanting to boost it in the beginning they probably could've had more sales at the start.

Damage is done for the haters for sure but overall Quest 3 will be hell of a device.

 

[Calling 911 Melts Beams]

I just don't want my grandma liking and commenting on my feed

i can keep her company if youd like

 

[MightySquirrel]

Tbh it sounds great! My grandma passed away years ago but she became 101 years old and used a PC and was all kinds of awesome Would’ve been an honor to have her check my fb!

But I barely use fb to be honest, I don’t really understand it, jumped in too late I think.

Don't get it the wrong way, I love her dearly. She has a farm in the countries largest national park with a huge lake. Seeing only happy tourists with positive vibes around all summer is such a great environment to grow up in. Oh how I love the smell of pine trees near the lake.

 

[RavenSan]

Oh shit, I'll probably finally get a Quest then.

 

[Lucifers Beard]

Great that you no longer need to have a Facebook account. You still need a Meta account though, so I’m not sure what the long term plans are for Meta. They will still sell your data to the highest bidder I reckon.

 

[ManaByte]

So what happens to the people who used to have an Oculus account?

 

[R6Rider]

So what happens to the people who used to have an Oculus account?

Meta hunts you down.

 

[Salvatron]

• If you previously merged your Oculus account with your Facebook account, you can choose to remove your Facebook account during the setup process. This keeps your Facebook account separate from your VR use.

fuck yes. I can finally delete my facebook account

 

[CuNi]

But we need less walled gardens.

Most likely won't ever happen. Sadly.
I hope that once VR goes more mainstream on PC some modder will make a sandbox to hack SteamVR into those games but one can only hope.

 

[thicc_girls_are_teh_best]

Good riddance indeed, but too late. Presumably this will become standard on their upcoming devices as well, which is good.

But we need less walled gardens.

The problem isn't walled gardens, because they have their benefits just like non walled gardens do. Also in most cases they just fit the economic reality for the companies they make the products & content for those ecosystems.

The problem is if the walled garden also happens to suck, and Facebook's (Meta) absolutely does. They've already had strong sales with Quest 2 last year; with this change and if they can keep that supply strong or better they can likely do even better numbers this FY.

 

[Craig of War]

OK but the games for it are ass improve the games first & lower the price to 99.99
Than maybe i get 1

 

[RoadHazard]

So I guess this means the next one will be much more expensive, given that the Quest 2 is a heavily subsidized Facebook trojan horse (which I personally welcomed with open arms into my home, lol).

 

[Grumpy Toe Nail]

Great that you no longer need to have a Facebook account. You still need a Meta account though, so I’m not sure what the long term plans are for Meta. They will still sell your data to the highest bidder I reckon.

yea I don't really see the difference since people who cared were already making fake FB accounts for their quest I'd imagine.

 

[Fuz]

You don't need to login into anything?

If so, surprising. Surprisingly good. I'm skeptic, though.

 

[kiphalfton]

Great, now I can go back to using it with an off account for pron.

Yeah I haven't watching any VR porn for that very reason (i.e. imagine it somehow getting posted to your feed).

Brb "kiphalfton is watching pornhub on his Quest 2"

 

[BennyBlanco]

Yeah I haven't watching any VR porn for that very reason (i.e. imagine it somehow getting posted to your feed).

Brb "kiphalfton is watching pornhub on his Quest 2"

read the reviews, this is the software you need and there is no way for it to upload to FB since it's a Steam app. Although Zucc will probably be watching you himself.

 

[BigBooper]

A nice change, but surely they know they've already poisoned the well. Why would anyone believe they wouldn't require it again in the future? I am curious about what this might mean for their metaverse. It seems like a less confident move.

 

[jaysius]

You'll still need a META ACCOUNT LOL!

 

[ReBurn]

OK but the games for it are ass improve the games first & lower the price to 99.99
Than maybe i get 1

I mean I enjoy the hell out of games on Quest 2. Not sure what you're talking about.

 

[Reallink]

A nice change, but surely they know they've already poisoned the well. Why would anyone believe they wouldn't require it again in the future? I am curious about what this might mean for their metaverse. It seems like a less confident move.

They're just rebranding Oculus accounts (a literal PSN/XBL/Steam style "Gamertag" account system) that has existed since the Dev Kit or OG Rift days. The FB requirement was newly added just as Quest 2 released, so they now have ~2 years of exhaustive analytics demonstrating the mandate did not promote a meaningful number of new or engaged FB users. As I mentioned at the time, anyone without a FB account at this point clearly has no interest in one and is never going to use it. Forcing them to make one isn't going to change that. They recognize a not insignificant number of people don't want to send Facebook interns 48 megapixel pictures of their Driver's License and Social Security card to buy Beat Saber, or lose it when they get banned for liking some Trump or Covid conspiracy post. They also know Facebook has no future or growth potential as it's well into the AOL and Myspace death spiral being universally derided by zoomers and the youngest millenials.

 

[DeliciousDoc]

Not really a compelling reason to get in. They will force you to sign up for Facebook again when it suits their purposes just like they did when eyes were on the quest 2. Quest 3 release?

 

[MrTroubleMaker]

 

[CrustyBritches]

Hey, that means I can post this gif on Facebook without getting locked out my Oculus account and losing all my games...

 

[64bitmodels]

holy shit
THANK YOU
i'm gonna buy one after seeing this announcement, unironically

 

[ResurrectedContrarian]

read the reviews, this is the software you need and there is no way for it to upload to FB since it's a Steam app. Although Zucc will probably be watching you himself.

"read the reviews" ... they're universally negative now, seems this app is totally broken as of some recent update

 

[kraspkibble]

so you don't need a facebook account but you need a meta account?



they're essentially the same thing. no way am i touching this trash. i'd rather get a PSVR and that's saying a lot. fuck facebook.

 

[radewagon]

Quote from the oculus blog post (bolding is mine):

Your Meta account lets you log into your VR devices and view and manage your purchased apps in one place—it’s not a social profile. Alongside Meta accounts, we’re also evolving your Oculus profile to a new Meta Horizon profile. This represents your social presence in VR and other surfaces where you use your Meta Horizon profile, like the web. With your Meta Horizon profile, you can choose how you appear to others by customizing your username, avatar, and other information.

Also from the blogpost (bolding is mine):

After you finish creating a Meta account, you’ll be prompted to create a Meta Horizon profile, which replaces your Oculus profile. Your Meta Horizon profile is your social profile in VR and other surfaces, like the web.

So, totally not a social profile unless you account for how it prompts you to create a great new social profile. This reads almost like a marketing-speak parody from a Kids in the Hall sketch. I can hear Mark McKinney in my head saying all this with a lot of enthusiasm to try and jazz it up.

 

[Greirat]

So, totally not a social profile unless you account for how it prompts you to create a great new social profile.

Yes, this is totally a bait and switch. Just because the account is called "Meta" instead of "Facebook" doesn't mean a thing. They're still going to do all the invasive data tracking and other bad behavior their business relies on. Hell, they even track your web activity when you don't have a Facebook account through shadow profiles. It's all linked together on their end.

 

[00_Zer0]

I'm hoping my Oculus Rift S holds out till the Valve Deckard comes out. I was one of the first to complain about the Facebook requirement and now that this is no longer required I still don't feel like supporting the future of Meta. It will be interesting to see where Valve goes with this hybrid VR Headset.

 

[pachura]

The question is: can you create a new Meta account without providing your phone number, credit card, personal details?

 

[Rykan]

I don't think this is such a big deal though? You can create a Facebook account without providing any real personal details.

 

[ZoukGalaxy]

I don't think this is such a big deal though? You can create a Facebook account without providing any real personal details.

But it could banned at any time if a verification occurs and all your games will be gone. Is that not a big deal for you ?

 

[pachura]

I don't think this is such a big deal though? You can create a Facebook account without providing any real personal details.

Weren't they banning accounts with no friends, no activity etc.?

 

[kraspkibble]

I don't think this is such a big deal though? You can create a Facebook account without providing any real personal details.

lol maybe but then your account gets banned. they want you to use real info so if it looks like you are making an account with fake details they’ll ban it. they will have a record of what device you used and what IP you used. so at that point you can try make new accounts but if you use the same device/wifi then they know its you. if you try make a genuine account they’ll ask for a photo of you and/or government documents (passport/driving license). they will also want an email and phone number to track you and you’re only allowed ONE personal account so if that gets banned you’re banned for life essentially.

plus if you make an account and dont use it/have no friends or act “suspicious” such as adding too many friends or liking too much content then you will get banned. its good you dont need a facebook account but you are still giving them your data. facebook can go fuck themselves. i wouldnt trust them in the slightest.

Weren't they banning accounts with no friends, no activity etc.?

they also ban accounts if you add too many friends or like a lot of stuff in a certain space of time. its ridiculous. i get they need to protect against spam and shit but they just need to give you a cool down not ban you. once your banned then thats you…good luck getting your account back or making a new one.

 

[Rykan]

Weren't they banning accounts with no friends, no activity etc.?

I have no idea, do they? I have some throwaway accounts from way back when that I don't think are banned. I'm guessing those accounts are only banned if they are abused.