Quest 2 requires Facebook even for existing Oculus accounts

In August, Facebook announced that new Oculus accounts would soon require Facebook account integration. With Quest 2 launching this week, that change is now in effect. In a blog post today, the company confirmed that Quest 2 requires Facebook even for existing account holders.

Facebook's new Oculus account policy requires that new users use a Facebook account to create an Oculus account. The company previously said that existing Oculus account holders would be exempt from the change for two years, but we now know that only applies to legacy headsets.

Quest 2 activation requires linking your Oculus account to a Facebook account, but don't worry, that doesn't mean you can't use a gamer tag. Oculus accounts still use gamer tags, but they now need Facebook accounts for user identification. You can choose to leave your real name public, or you can hide your Facebook name on your Oculus profile.

Facebook says that tying your account to your authentic identity helps protect the Oculus community with Facebook's privacy and safety tools. Keep in mind that this change also means that if you get banned from Facebook, you will likely lose access to your Oculus account. It's one way that Facebook is trying to enforce good behaviour on the Oculus platform.

If you're an existing Oculus user with any older Oculus headset, including GearVR, Go, Rift, Rift S, or Quest, you have the option of keeping your Oculus account separate from your Facebook account. Facebook will support Oculus accounts until January 1, 2023. However, developers are not required to support Oculus accounts anymore, so some game features may not work without Facebook integration.

Facebook's Oculus Quest 2 second-generation standalone VR headset hits store shelves tomorrow.