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Oculus Store Compatibility and Cross Buy FAQ for Rift, Quest 1, Quest 2 and Go.

kojack
MVP
MVP
With the influx of people from the Quest 2, many are asking about how game purchases work with the Rift and Quest. Things are a bit more complex than you might expect.

Hardware & OS

Headsets

The Rift CV1 and Rift S (I'll just call them Rift) are PC headsets. They connect with a cable to a Windows PC.

The Quest 1 and 2 (I'll just call them Quest) are stand alone headsets. This means they have their own computer built in and run games directly, no PC needed. They are Android based and use mobile phone chips. Quest 1 and Quest 2 are compatible for games and they use the same store.

The Go is also a stand alone headset. It runs Android on a mobile chip like the Quest, but is much weaker. It is also a 3DOF headset, which means it can't track movement, only rotation.

Software Compatibility

Software made for the Rift can't work on the Quest or Go directly, they aren't compatible. Likewise, Quest and Go software can't work on the Rift. It's like trying to play a PC game on a mobile phone, it's the wrong hardware and OS. If a developer wants to support Rift and Quest or Go they need to build their game for both platforms. How easy that is depends on the game, getting a Rift game ported to the Quest can require heavy optimisation, the Quest is just far weaker than a good gaming PC.

Stores

Oculus Stores

There are 4 Oculus stores: Rift, Go, GearVR and Quest.

Rift Store
The Rift Store has windows based PC games. You can buy from the Rift Store using the Oculus website, the Oculus desktop app, the Oculus mobile app or in VR using the Rift.
https://www.oculus.com/experiences/rift/

Quest Store
The Quest Store has Android based stand alone games. You can buy from the Quest store using the Oculus website, the Oculus mobile app or in VR using the Quest.
https://www.oculus.com/experiences/quest/

Go Store
The Go Store has Android based stand alone games. You can buy from the Go store using the Oculus Website, the Oculus mobile app or in VR using the Go.
https://www.oculus.com/experiences/go/

GearVR Store
As far as I know, the GearVR store is the same as the Go store. Every Go game I've looked at says it is GearVR compatible too.
https://www.oculus.com/experiences/gear-vr/

Third Party Stores

You need to enable Unknown Sources in your Rift settings to play games from third party stores.

Steam
Steam sells VR games made for PC only. They don't sell Android based games that would run on the Quest or Go. The Rift can run any game from Steam that is made for SteamVR (like HalfLife Alyx), or some games include native Rift support.

Epic Game Store
Same as Steam, the Epic store only sells PC games. If they have VR support using SteamVR or native Oculus support, they will run on the Rift.

Cross Buy


Cross buy is when a game is available on both stores, and buying on one gives you a free copy on the other. For example, Audica is cross buy. If you buy it on the Rift store, it will become free on the Quest store. It works the other way too, buy on Quest and get it for free on Rift.
Developers choose if their game is cross buy. Some do (Audica, Pistol Whip, Vader Immortal, etc). Others don't (Beat Saber, Virtual Desktop, etc).
If a game isn't cross buy and you want it on both platforms, you have to buy it twice.
Games that are cross buy between the Rift and Quest: https://www.oculus.com/experiences/quest/section/2335732183153590

The Go has a limited selection of games that can be played on the Quest. They won't appear in your Quest library, you need to change the library in your Quest user interface from Quest to Go and they will be visible.
https://support.oculus.com/684583725353553/

Steam and Epic Game Store aren't cross buy with Oculus. If you buy Beat Saber on Steam, you can run it on the Rift, but you don't get it on the Oculus store, it's still only on Steam. While Audica is cross buy for Rift and Quest, if you buy the Rift version of Audica on Steam you don't get a Quest version too, only games bought on an Oculus store count for cross buy.

Link Cable


The Link cable changes some of the above, to a degree.
The Link cable lets a Quest connect to a PC. It effectively turns the Quest into a Rift. This means it now runs PC Rift games. It can play anything a Rift can, including games from Steam or Epic Game Store. It works by streaming video over the USB Link cable to the Quest, and sending back the tracking data. At least for now it's a lower quality option than running natively, its like watching a game streamed on Twitch, there can be video compression artifacts and latency. Some people notice the issues more than others.
Any USB cable (with USB-C on one end) should work for Link, but there's an official Link cable which is rather expensive, but it's an active 5m fibre-optic cable, which is always expensive. Getting a 5m cheaper cable that works is tricky, most USB3 cables max out at 3m.

Virtual Desktop


Virtual Desktop works like Link, but uses Wifi instead of a USB cable. It also streams Rift games to the Quest. You need to buy the Quest version of Virtual Desktop if you want to stream PC games to the Quest. The PC version of Virtual Desktop is different.
I've never used Virtual Desktop, so I can't say too much about how well it works.

Revive


Revive is a third party program that lets other VR headsets (Index, Vive, Reverb, etc) impersonate a Rift and play games from the Rift store. This isn't guaranteed to work for all games, some have issues and don't work. But it does at least give a chance to not waste your whole library if you move to a non-Oculus headset.


Author: Oculus Monitor,  Auto Oculus Touch,  Forum Dark Mode, Phantom Touch Remover,  X-Plane Fixer
Hardware: Threadripper 1950x, MSI Gaming Trio 2080TI, Asrock X399 Taich
Headsets: Wrap 1200VR, DK1, DK2, CV1, Rift-S, GearVR, Go, Quest, Quest 2, Reverb G2
36 REPLIES 36

nalex66
MVP
MVP
I'll just add a bit about streaming VR games with Virtual Desktop, because there is some setup needed. The VR streaming function is not enabled in Virtual Desktop by default. After buying and installing the Quest version of Virtual Desktop, you need to sideload the streaming function into it.* The easiest way to do this is with SideQuest, which is a third-party program that allows you to load non-store software onto your Quest. They have a helpful set of instructions here to get yourself up and running.
 
Once you've got yourself set up with SideQuest, you can load the Virtual Desktop VR Patch onto your Quest.* You only need to do this once--once it's installed, Virtual Desktop can be updated normally through the Quest store and the VR streaming function will continue to work.
 
Next, you need to install the Virtual Desktop streamer app on your PC. You can download it from the Virtual Desktop website. There is also a useful FAQ there. In addition to the streamer app, you need the Oculus PC app installed on your PC. This is required even if you just want to play SteamVR games.
 
For best results, you want to have your PC connected to your modem or router with an Ethernet connection. Your Quest needs to be connected by WiFi to the same network, ideally on the 5GHz band. This usually means you need to be close to the WiFi router (in the same room) with fairly direct line of sight. 5GHz WiFi signal quality drops off quickly with distance and physical barriers like walls.
 
Once everything is installed, launch the streamer app on your PC and enter your Oculus username. Launch Virtual Desktop on your Quest, and it should find and connect to your PC. Once connected, it will find your VR games on the PC and present them in the Virtual Desktop Games menu (you can press the left Touch menu button to open the Virtual Desktop menu if it has closed). Launch the games from there, and if all goes well, you should be playing PCVR games wirelessly on your Quest.
 
*EDIT: It is no longer necessary to side-load a patch to enable VR streaming with Virtual Desktop. I've struck the obsolete instructions, but kept everything else, as Virtual Desktop and SideQuest are both still useful.

DK2, CV1, Go, Quest, Quest 2, Quest 3.


Try my game: Cyclops Island Demo

EricZhouOculus
Honored Guest
Please allow Quest 2 to be backward capable to the Oculus Go, the same way Quest 1 is. That's if you want loyal customers to continue purchasing from your app stores.

nalex66
MVP
MVP


Please allow Quest 2 to be backward capable to the Oculus Go, the same way Quest 1 is. That's if you want loyal customers to continue purchasing from your app stores.


Not all Go apps are compatible with Quest. Quest 2 should be exactly the same as Quest 1 with regard to Go apps. If you have any of the Go apps listed as compatible with Quest, they should also work on Quest 2. Note: the "Compatible Apps" in the linked support document are the ones that should work. The "Free Upgrade Apps" was a limited-time offer that expired at the end of 2019.

Edit: I was just going through my library, and found that I can't switch to my
Go library in the Quest 2. I have Daedalus installed on my Quest 1, and
can switch to my Go library there and launch it, but on my Quest 2 the
dropdown to switch libraries is missing. Thought maybe I could install
it through the phone app, but there is no option there to install it.

Edit 2: It has been confirmed that Go compatibility has been discontinued with Quest 2.

DK2, CV1, Go, Quest, Quest 2, Quest 3.


Try my game: Cyclops Island Demo

merkman-oculus
Explorer
First of all, thanks for the thread.  You got a LOT of the basics out of the way, and you have my thanks.

A couple of my remaining questions would be:
1)  If I use the Anker USB(-A) 3.0 cable to USB-C to run the Quest 2 with Oculus Link... does that cable have enough power to keep the headset running when it's not a true USB-C on both ends?
2)  I've read about the ability to wirelessly connect like Oculus Link using Virtual Desktop.  But does that same feature work on the Quest 2, like it did the Quest 1?
3)  If you wanted a 16' (or at least slightly longer than 10') USB-C to USB-C cable, because the answer to question 1 is that cable DOESN'T provide enough power to play and keep that headset charged... are there any good 3rd party options that charge and do Oculus Link that aren't $79?
4) ADDED I don't suppose there is a way to get the games I bought on the Steam store to be "cross play" available with my Quest 2?  I own Doctor Who: Edge Of Time, Creed, and maybe a couple others that might be available on BOTH had only bought them through the Oculus app and not Steam.  😞

Again, thanks for your work in this thread, and I hope none of these are too silly of questions.  😉

nalex66
MVP
MVP
  1. When connected to a USB3 A port, the power output is not enough to play and charge; the Quest battery will drain, but much slower than if you were running on just the battery (something like 10% per hour). On a USB-C port that provides 15W, the battery will charge while playing.
  2. Virtual Desktop wireless VR works the same (or better) on Quest 2 as on Quest 1.
  3. To get longer that 10', you need an active-signal cable. I tried running with a 3' Anker A-C cable plugged into an active 16' USB3 cable that I use for my CV1 sensors, and that worked, but my active USB cable is quite stiff and heavy.
  4. Cross-buy is an Oculus store feature, and only works if you bought the games on the Oculus Rift store.

DK2, CV1, Go, Quest, Quest 2, Quest 3.


Try my game: Cyclops Island Demo

Gauguiss
Honored Guest
Hi thx for all of yours details !

Is there any hope that "beat saber" will become cross buy in the oculus store one day?

nalex66
MVP
MVP
If they were going to make it cross-buy, I would have expected them to do it when Facebook acquired Beat Games. At this point it would piss off anyone who had already bought both versions.

DK2, CV1, Go, Quest, Quest 2, Quest 3.


Try my game: Cyclops Island Demo

merkman-oculus
Explorer
Many thanks Nalex.  Fact is, I haven't plugged my Quest 2 into the PC and tried Oculus Link yet.  I thought the headset was fully charged before I started setup yesterday, but after only 15 minutes it was at like 63%?  I guess I hadn't waited long enough, so I finished the "basic" setup... then plugged it back into the wall and unplugged it immediately after seeing the green light.

I figured the 3.0 didn't have enough power for charging AND use, so I'll just have to figure out a USB-C... maybe a proper 16' (which should be PLENTY) in the near future.  In the meantime, being able to do Oculus Link WIRELESSLY with the Virtual Desktop software sounds AMAZING.  Once I've gotten used to the headset, might need to give that a try!  🙂  Though about that... I'm using a Google Wifi device as my only in-home Wifi AP / Router.  I'm on Comcast, and with other routers, I didn't get the best performance around my condo... either because of the number of other networks around mine, or because the units didn't give me the best "corner to corner" coverage.  I've been VERY happy with a single Google Wifi (the original puck) driving my entire network, and out of that I plug into a 16-port Gb Ethernet Switch in my "Home Theater" cabinet to my Xbox One X, PS4, and most of my other devices are all wired.  But would the Google Wifi be fast enough for the wireless Oculus Link setup?  It hasn't failed me for anything else I've thrown at it thus far.

DTH
Heroic Explorer
I love my Rift S and wanted to know if the VOF in the Quest 2 is better than My Rift S.  If I understand the post all my S games will run if I get the link cable?  I have a third-party app. (VAM) that will work in Steam for my Pimax 8K+ and in Oculus with my Rift S.  So maybe it will work with the Quest 2?  Are they going to stop making games for my Rift S anytime soon?