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Oculus has announced support for the new “multi-user account” and “app sharing” features.
You can share one Oculus Quest headset with multiple people and save save data separately, or you can use the apps and contents purchased by the parent account as they are.
The VR headset Oculus Quest 2 released in October last year has significantly improved resolution and processing performance compared to the first generation, the price is cheap from the low 30,000 yen range, Japanese support has improved and the content has increased. It has become easier to reach at once, such as selling it at home electronics mass retailers.
Breaking news: VR headset Oculus Quest 2 announced.Significant price cut due to double performance, over-the-counter sales in Japan
However, just because it became familiar as the first one, it is still far from everyone to have it for themselves like a smartphone, and it was the first experience of VR that I was allowed to try Quest bought by my family and friends It is a stage where the number of people will increase.
The problem with this is that the current Oculus Quest is completely single-user, and you can’t easily sign out and switch.
Nowadays it is difficult to physically get together and play, but even if family friends want to try the VR app, because of this single user specification, games etc. have no choice but to use or reset the save data of the headset owner, Facebook The social functions that are firmly built into the system like a product remain in the owner’s account. I could only try it “temporarily while supervising from the side”.
However, with the multi-user account and app sharing function scheduled to be provided from February, not only can one device be shared by switching between the parent account and the child account, but the app bought by the parent account can also be used by the child account and become independent. You will be able to save the data.
Initially, app sharing is limited to one device, but we plan to expand it to up to three devices in the future.
Specifications / restrictions / provision time of multi-user account and application sharing
As with family sharing on other platforms and services, there are some restrictions to prevent unlimited “sharing”. According to Oculus
- Multi-user account and app sharing will be available as an experimental feature from Oculus Quest 2 in February
- Multi-user account is a mechanism that allows you to add up to 3 secondary accounts per primary account. (Numbers are provisional and subject to change due to feedback)
- Both primary and secondary accounts require login with their respective Facebook accounts
- There is one primary account for each device. A factory reset of the entire device is required to change (the app bought by the secondary cannot be shared with the primary or shared between the secondary)
- The secondary account can use the apps purchased by the primary account on the same device. (With permission, including corresponding in-app sharing)
- Users with app sharing enabled can log in to multiple devices at the same time, but cannot run the same app at the same time. However, if you have another account, you can run the shared app at the same time. (Within the device limits above)
App developers may think that they could (maybe) sell multiple licenses, but if they were shared, they would lose sales. (On the contrary, I bought it because multiple users can enjoy it by sharing the app, otherwise it may increase from zero if I did not buy it).
According to Oculus, multi-account and app sharing are the features most requested by the user community, and as the app reaches more users, the community will grow and promote the app.
If you are an app developer and do not want to support app sharing, or if you cannot support it due to license etc., you need to opt out by February 12, 2021.
If you do not opt out, existing apps will automatically be eligible for app sharing after February 13th. Also, apps registered in the store for Oculus Rift and Quest after February 13th need to support app sharing.