There's no denying that Oculus VR is an awesome way to enjoy video games. However, it can be a somewhat solitary existence, especially when inviting your friends to play games with you isn't the easiest of processes.
Well, not any longer, as the latest Oculus software update brings a social aspect to the ecosystem.
Invite Friends to Your Oculus VR Apps
Gaming has proven itself to be an important social experience for gamers new and old, particularly during the COVID pandemic. Gaming brands have spotted this, and capitalized on it, too.
Fortunately, one such brand making its ecosystem more social is Oculus, who has introduced a bunch of community-based updates with the latest software version; v31. Oculus has confirmed this update via an oculus.com blog post.
Updates roll out gradually for Oculus users, so if you don't have the additional features now, don't worry, your update is in the mail.
So, what are the details of the latest Oculus VR software update?
What Does Oculus Software v31 Do?
As mentioned, the v31 software update has a rake of new features designed to enhance the social aspect of gaming.
First, the update brings a new feature; Invite to App. Several apps will support this feature soon, and it is essentially an easier way to invite people to your gaming session. They don't even need to be on your friend list, you can add existing friends, people you've recently played a game with or against, and any in-game connections you make.
You just choose the Invite to App option from the Quest universal menu and you can beam players into your multiplayer experience once they accept your invite. Previous methods involved party creation and invitation; this makes matters much easier.
Second, the update makes it easier to set up a multiplayer session outside of your headset. You can now use your smartphone to do so, using the Oculus mobile app for iOS and Android.
Just head to the Oculus app, find the Social tab, and select the game you want to play. From here, you can create an invite link that you can send to your friends. With this, they can join your multiplayer session. Easy!
The Oculus Messenger function allows you to keep track of conversations by adding Send and Read receipts. You can now also add reactions to your conversations. Cue heart emojis flooding your Beat Saber invites.
Oculus has also added a swathe of security improvements, such as setting or resetting your unlock pattern, and storing passwords for use in the Oculus browser. Obviously online security is more important than chatting to your friends, but also significantly less exciting.
Do You Own an Oculus Quest?
If so, then you're likely jumping for joy at these improvements. Get in the game quicker with the new invite system, and keep your friends closer than your enemies with the Oculus mobile app.
Oh yeah, and the v31 update allows you to stay safe online, too!