Now that App Lab is officially available for Oculus Quest, it means consumers have an easier way to access non-store content on their VR headsets. So what does this mean for the future of SideQuest, the original third-party non-store content independent platform?
In short, it’s a good thing. At least, that’s what SideQuest creator Shane Harris and the official Facebook blog post about App Lab say.
When App Lab was unveiled yesterday, the blog post mentions SideQuest in the opening sentence as one of the possibilities that developers can use to provide direct links to App Lab content. It is further said that they ‘worked closely’ with SideQuest to launch App Lab and embedded this link for developers to submit App Lab projects for presentation on SideQuest.
Since App Lab apps do not appear in the Oculus Quest store and are not traditionally detectable in the headset or the Oculus app, platforms like SideQuest will eventually end up even more important as before.
The platform will serve the same purpose functionally. Right now, instead of sending users to itch.io to buy something or asking them to plug in their headset to download the app, they are instead brought to the App Lab page.
“I think it would be good for the SideQuest community,” Harris says. “App Lab offers no discovery, so SideQuest is still the best chance for developers to be discovered with our nearly 1.5 million monthly active users.”
As of today, SideQuest already has an App Lab category on its platform. If you are visiting the SideQuest page for a game that is on the App Lab, there is now an “Oculus App” button in the top right corner of the page, as well as an “App Lab” label in the top corner of the asset library. Click the button and then go to the App Lab page.
“We are pleased to see more options for our developers in addition to sideloading,” says Harris. ‘If App Lab delivers on its promise, we hope it’s a Facebook turnaround and embraces the indie community. We will, as always, continue to offer discoveries to and outside the Oculus Store, and we hope this is a step in the right direction. ‘
Are you a VR developer working on something for Quest that you submitted or are planning to submit to the App Lab? Let us know in the comments or send us an email [email protected]!