Were Facebook’s “Oculus Exclusives” Anti-Competitive?

Were Facebook’s “Oculus Exclusives” Anti-Competitive?



Facebook’s Oculus VR launched a software update which prevented apps on rival platforms, like Revive on HTC’s Vive, from playing Rift-exclusive games. The move was clearly intended to protect its library of exclusive games and give it a competitive edge against PC-based rival headsets like Vive. Oculus also recently bought several well-received games — including Killing Floor, Superhot, and Giant Cop — to launch as exclusives or timed exclusives for the Rift.

Why VR Wins – Oculus Opens Game Library to Vive

 Why VR Wins  – Oculus Opens Game Library to Vive

Recently, Oculus VR was a subject of major controversy when it introduced software locks to disable Revive, a fan-created patch designed to allow HTC Vive owners to play Rift-exclusive games. Citing a need to discourage piracy, the app update introduced DRM checks on Rift software, essentially contradicting Oculus founder Palmer Luckey’s statement on Reddit on keeping the Rift an open platform back in 2015.

Oculus discovers platform exclusives won’t wash with the VR community

Oculus discovers platform exclusives won’t wash with the VR community

HTC Vive owners rejoice: at the end of last week, Oculus, manufacturers of the rival VR headset Rift, removed the hardware check that prevents games exclusive to the Oculus platform from being played on anything other than a Rift.

Oculus Opens Rift VR Game Software to Competing HTC Vive Viewer

Oculus Opens Rift VR Game Software to Competing HTC Vive Viewer

The move appears to reverse Oculus’ earlier strategy, which was to prevent users of competing devices from using and playing Rift games.

Oculus has quietly removed software controls that prevented users of competing virtual-reality headsets from using and playing games that were developed originally for Oculus Rift VR headsets .