Roblox to Extend Its Gaming Experience to Meta Quest VR Headsets

Roblox, the controversial gaming platform, is set to offer support for Meta Quest VR headsets. The news of the platform's move to Meta Quest first emerged earlier this year via sources reporting to The Verge, indicating that the integration would occur towards the end of 2023. However, the recent confirmation of upcoming Meta Quest support suggests that the process may be ahead of schedule, even though an exact launch date remains undisclosed. The company did reveal that an open beta for the platform would be available on Meta Quest's App Lab soon.

In a formal announcement on the Roblox developer forum, the company shed some light on its expansion to VR. "Traditionally, developing a VR experience required a team that had VR-specific experience and skills. With Roblox, developers will soon be able to publish their existing experiences to support VR with little to no additional coding effort required. This is because Roblox is designed to be universal, allowing the same experiences to run everywhere," the announcement read. While Roblox has had VR support through PC headsets, the shift to Meta Quest will see the introduction of a new standalone VR mode for untethered devices.

Roblox Studio is also set to add "VR" as a new device type on the Creator Dashboard and Game Settings panel in the coming days. This addition will enable developers to start getting their games ready for Meta Quest, which will be limited to users ages 13 and above, in anticipation of the open beta's public launch.

Continued Expansion

The integration with Meta Quest is a continuation of Roblox's venture into new territories. This move follows the platform's recent introduction of a new 17+ category for games that feature "violence, blood, or crude humor," "romantic themes," and the "presence of alcohol". This is a significant shift from the platform's traditional focus on child-friendly content.

Roblox Corporation has faced various controversies in the past, including allegations of exploiting young game developers and providing an unsafe environment for children. However, the company has consistently stressed its dedication to ensuring its gaming platform remains a safe and positive experience for players of all ages. As such, this move to support Meta Quest VR may offer a fresh start for Roblox and its community of developers and players.