Meta shut down Facebook account requirement for VR, but there’s a catch

meta VR headset owners will is no longer necessary log into their Facebook accounts to use those devices… because they have to use new meta accounts instead.

“As of August 2022, if you are new to Meta VR devices or have previously merged your Oculus account with your Facebook account, you will need to create a Meta account and Meta Horizon profile,” the company says. say(Opens in a new window)† “If you’re signed in to your VR device with your Oculus account, you can keep doing this until January 1, 2023, after which you’ll need to create a Meta account and Meta Horizon profile to continue using your Meta VR device.”

All of this means that Meta has decided to use both a root (which VR headset owners no longer need to connect their devices to their Facebook accounts) and a stick (which requires those VR headset owners to connect their devices to a Meta account) on its Oculus customers to make sure they don’t spend too much money if the company tries to lead them to the metaverse† It doesn’t matter that many of those people bought their devices back then Meta was still Facebook†

It seems that even Meta is confused about the consequences of this change. “Your Meta Account is not a social media profile; it lets you log in to your VR devices and view and manage your purchased apps in one place,” it reads. “In the future, we will extend the Meta account functionality so that you can use it to log into other Meta devices .” also says that “once you’ve created a Meta account, you’ll also need to create a Meta Horizon profile – your social profile in VR.”

This is how the company describes Meta Horizon profiles:

“Your Meta Horizon profile is your social profile in VR and other surfaces, such as from a web browser. You can customize how you look to others – as a gamer or as your buttoned-up 9-to-5 persona. Meta Horizon profile username that is unique is for you (e.g. WarriorMama365), the profile name shown to others while you are in VR (e.g. Monique Smith), your profile picture, avatar and more. […] Your Oculus friends become your followers, just like it works on Instagram. This update offers more ways to be social and connect with others. You can choose whether to share your active status and activity updates, such as the apps you own and your achievements, with your followers. If you already own a Meta VR headset, your Oculus friends will automatically become your followers and you will follow them back by default. You can choose to unfollow or remove followers at any time.”

Meta also says Meta accounts can be linked to “the same Accounts Center as your Facebook or Instagram account to unlock connected experiences through Meta technologies — like finding your Facebook friends to play games with in VR or chat.” with friends on Messenger.”

So a Meta account isn’t a social profile, but it can be linked to those existing profiles, and signing up for an account requires Meta VR owners to create a Meta Horizon profile, which Meta explicitly describes as “your social profile in VR.” ‘. This should live up to Mark Zuckerberg’s promise to stop demanding(Opens in a new window) Oculus Quest owners to use a Facebook account, and technically they do. It simply uses Meta’s position in the VR market to further its metaverse ambitions as well. Dizzy.