It’s A Shame Meta Left PCVR Behind
Since I began my journey into PCVR in 2018 with the HTC Vive and enjoyed some Oculus Rift games through ReVive—especially Robo Recall—I had a great time. A few months later, I found the Oculus Rift CV1 with motion controllers at a local GAME store. It was bundled with five free games and applications at a reasonable price, so I decided to grab it to sidestep any potential issues with ReVive. This marked the start of my passion for the high-quality games that came straight from Oculus Studios or through collaborations with other developers to create exclusives for their platform.
I just took another look at the Meta Quest Link app, which is what it’s called now and felt a wave of nostalgia as I considered installing some of the exclusive games I hadn’t played in a while. After I installed a good number of titles, I hooked up my Quest 3. Over the next few weeks, I enjoyed playing through various parts of the games I had added, and now I find myself eager to revisit some of them. This made me reflect on how disappointing it is that Meta decided to move away from PCVR.
There were several games already on my system, but I didn’t go back to Lone Echo and Lone Echo 2. You might wonder why; it’s because I consider both of these games even better than Half-Life Alyx. I really had no reason to revisit them since I play these titles regularly and still find them just as incredible as when I first played them. It feels appropriate that Lone Echo 2 was their last PCVR release, leaving on a high note. However, it’s unfortunate that they decided to shut down Ready At Dawn last year (2024), so we won’t get to see the series make a comeback, even on the Meta Quest standalone devices.
One studio that appears to have shifted its focus completely away from Virtual Reality after being acquired by Sony is Insomniac Games, which previously created some truly amazing titles for PCVR on Oculus. It’s uncertain if their licensing agreements have run out since moving to Sony, but all the games created by Insomniac Games are no longer available on the PCVR storefront. However, if you had them before, you can still install and play them. This is unfortunate, especially considering that two of their Oculus Studios titles, Edge of Nowhere and Stormland, were both exceptional and received great acclaim upon release. Having a studio like Insomniac Games creating games for your platform exclusively, shows how serious Oculus used to be about their PCVR branch, before the focus was switched over to Standalone after Facebook purchased the company.
There are several other highly regarded developers who have collaborated with Oculus Studios in the past, including notable names like Epic Games (known for Unreal Tournament and Gears of War) and 4A Games (creators of the Metro Series). These developers produced exclusive titles for the Oculus Rift that were far from mere filler; they delivered polished experiences that many consider must-haves for any PCVR enthusiast, even when played through ReVive.
One standout title is Robo Recall from Epic Games, which continues to be celebrated in the VR community for its impressive visuals and fluid gameplay that remain relevant today—something you would expect from Epic. Then there’s Arktika.1 from 4A Games, which, despite its simpler mechanics due to its age, offers a solid and engaging wave shooter experience with a teleportation system for navigating between cover. This game still impresses with its visuals, making it a standout among current offerings.
They also have studios that developed and released their games exclusively for the Oculus PC store, featuring well-known and respected developers like Crytek (famous for the Crysis series) and Gunfire Games (known for the Darksiders series). They also introduced Lucky’s Tale from Playful Studios. Crytek launched The Climb exclusively for the Oculus Rift, followed by The Climb 2, which was released exclusively for the Meta Quest many years later. While I thoroughly enjoyed The Climb 2, playing the original on PC makes me wonder how stunning the levels could have been with the enhanced capabilities of a PC, had it not been left behind. The original game still impresses with its breathtaking visuals and the most realistic climbing mechanics available in Virtual Reality. Two standout titles from Gunfire Games exemplify what Oculus aimed to achieve by collaborating with these studios: Chronos and From Other Suns. Chronos is a challenging third-person action-adventure game where players visually age with each death, adding a unique twist to the experience. On the other hand, From Other Suns is a space exploration and survival game that shines in multiplayer mode, where you team up with friends to navigate the story while battling AI, with the risk of starting over if you fail. Additionally, they played a key role in launching Lucky’s Tale (now Super Lucky’s Tale), a third-person platformer that has since been remastered for all VR platforms and even made available on flat screens, showcasing their commitment to helping developers reach a wider audience.
They did provide support for the PC store with cross-buy titles, which are now primarily backed by third-party developers and non-exclusive games. Titles like Metro Awakening and Skydance’s Behemoth are still accessible and playable on PCVR through Meta PC Link. Initially, we saw several exclusive titles transition to PC, not just simple ports, but with enhanced visuals. I want to spotlight two of these games that received fully developed PCVR versions with the cross-buy feature. First up is Lies Beneath from Drifter Games, the creators of Gunheart. This beautifully crafted, cell-shaded horror game effectively evokes feelings of isolation and discomfort, making it one of the most underrated VR horror experiences out there. Next, Turtle Rock Studios, known for Left 4 Dead, brought us Journey of the Gods, a charming cell-shaded adventure that blends ranged and melee combat while allowing players to harness divine powers. Sadly, this title is no longer available on the Meta Store and didn’t get the recognition it truly deserved, often flying under the radar for many players.
We finally have some amazing titles developed by studios owned by Oculus, which remain among the best in the market today. First up is the Lone Echo series, which I’ve mentioned before as my top pick in Virtual Reality, surpassing even Half-Life Alyx. Then there’s Asgard’s Wrath from Sanzaru, which, like The Climb, received a sequel exclusively for Meta’s standalone device. This sequel was fantastic and showcased the capabilities of the Meta Quest 3. However, if you switch from that to the PC version of Asgard’s Wrath, you’ll notice a significant difference, as it stands out as one of the most visually stunning games available. It’s unfortunate that, like the previously mentioned titles, it didn’t receive the PCVR treatment as a cross-buy option. Next, we have Twisted Pixel, which, similar to Gunfire Games, produced two distinct titles for the Oculus Rift. The first, Wilson’s Heart, is a fantastic VR horror experience, though it opted for the safer point-and-click teleport movement common in early Oculus Rift games. Despite this, it still delivers a genuinely scary and thrilling experience worth exploring today. The next title, Defector, received mixed reactions from the community upon release, but revisiting it now reveals its true value. Released around the same time as Sony’s exclusive Blood and Truth, which was also excellent, my main critique was the lack of free movement during the action, something Defector provided. It gives off a James Bond vibe, allowing you to play as a secret agent equipped with cool gadgets, relying on both cunning and brute force in an action-packed adventure. With exhilarating moments like driving a car out of a plane and soaring through the air to reach another plane, it offers thrills that make you feel like a true action hero.
These games, regardless of their age, continue to provide a seamless and expertly designed experience. They feature stunning visuals and, in my opinion, some of the finest VR experiences available today. The longevity of these titles highlights the exceptional quality and talent of both first and third-party studios. Additionally, it demonstrates how Oculus played a significant role in advancing VR during the era of Palmer Luckey’s influence on the company.
I believe that the success of the standalone market, along with its cost-effectiveness due to a larger market potential and revenue generated solely from their own ecosystem, significantly contributed to the move away from PCVR. This decision positions them as leaders in the market, rather than competing with established companies like Valve in the PCVR space and their well-known Steam ecosystem. As a result, they can allocate more resources to prioritize their Quest exclusive games instead of managing the expenses associated with developing two versions of a game or focusing solely on the much smaller PCVR market and user base.
Focusing on expanding your player base in a market with minimal competition, while still generating revenue from your competitively priced headsets for PCVR users on other platforms, is a smart strategy. However, I can’t help but feel a bit disappointed. The exclusive titles created by their internal and external studios were truly exceptional and remain some of the best out there, even after they ceased PCVR support in 2021. It makes me wonder what amazing experiences they could be crafting today, and it’s a bit disheartening to think about how they’ve moved away from PCVR.