Facebook ads hit Oculus Quest, proving there's no real escape from reality

There was always the risk that virtual, augmented and mixed reality experiences would place an ever-present Piccadilly Circus-like electronic billboards in front of our eyes – and Facebook has now set us on that path.

In a new test, the company is introducing advertisements to virtual reality apps for the Oculus Quest 2. Naturally, the ads will be targeted and will be pulled from what Facebook knows about you.

In that manner, it’ll probably be similar to the synergy you see on your Facebook and Instagram profiles. This, of course, explains why Oculus is now requiring a Facebook account to use its headsets.

Oculus is calling it a “small test” and initially the ads will appear in games like Blaston from Resolution Games “and a couple other developers that will be rolling out over the coming weeks.” Facebook says the ads will be unobtrusive and will provide new ways for devs to monetise their apps and best VR games.

In a post on the Oculus blog, the VR company wrote: “For now, this is a test with a few apps—once we see how this test goes and incorporate feedback from developers and the community, we’ll provide more details on when ads may become more broadly available across the Oculus Platform and in the Oculus mobile app.”

Just like on Facebook, users will be able to hide irrelevant ads to customise their experience, while there’ll also be granular Ad Preferences tools. Facebook says that the integration of ads will create a more profitable ecosystem that, eventually, will make consumer VR “truly mainstream.”

As well as pulling information from Facebook profiles, the company says ads will be informed by “whether you’ve viewed content, installed, activated, or subscribed to a Oculus app, added an app to your cart or wishlist, if you’ve initiated checkout or purchased an app on the Oculus platform, and lastly, whether you’ve viewed, hovered, saved, or clicked on an ad within a third-party app.”

Will this put you off buying an Oculus Quest 2? Or was this always inevitable? Let us know @trustedreviews on Twitter.
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