So, you just got a Quest 2

Note: This post was written for a friend who recently got a Meta Quest 2. I decided to post it here just in case someone else finds it useful. This is not a tutorial or a set of technical instructions. It’s just a list of things to check out in and around VR.

Hardware & Comfort

Head Strap: The head strap that ships with the Quest 2 is not for everyone. Try it for a few days and see if it is comfortable for you. If not, you can get replacement head straps from Meta or a few third parties. Personally, I avoided the straps with extra batteries in favor of an external power bank. I prefer the Elite Strap from Meta.

Glasses: If you wear glasses, make sure you use the provided glasses spacer. This will push the headset out just a bit, giving clearance for most glasses. You can also get prescription lenses for the headset. I got mine from VR Optician. They make the physical experience of wearing the headset much more comfortable.

Travel Case: Don’t bother. You’ll never go anywhere any way… Welcome to VR.

Power: The headset has a two-hour battery life when it’s new. If you plan to be in VR longer than that (Demeo?), I suggest getting an external power pack. I have a short-ish USB cable that lets me put the pack in my pocket while keeping the cable out of the way. I also have a set of Eneloop Pro AA High-Capacity batteries for the controllers. These last for months between charges, at least for me.

Software

Obviously one of the core strengths of VR is gaming, but there are some great non-game apps to consider as well. There are a ton of great titles on the Oculus Store and a few other ways to get games and apps that you should know about.

• Oculus Store: This is the “main” place to get apps and games. It’s available in the companion app and built into the headset. Watch for daily deals if you want to quickly build up your library.
• App Lap: This is a secondary place that developers can publish apps and games. Publishing on the main store is a bit restrictive. App Lab is a program with fewer rules that lets developers publish things that may not be suitable or ready for the main store (at least according to Meta…). Meta doesn’t maintain a store front for App Lab, but there are a few third-party websites that host links to it. I often use App Lab DB.
• SideQuest: SideQuest is a third-party store and application for finding and side loading content on Quest (and other) devices. Install it on a Mac or PC, connect your headset, and side load some apps. The application also has some advanced features for adjusting settings on the Quest that Meta may not expose directly to users. You can also use it to back up your apps and save data. SideQuest also maintains a decent list of App Lap content.
• PC VR Games: You can play Oculus Rift and SteamVR titles from the Quest too. I’m not going to cover these options in detail. I just want to make you aware of them. There are plenty of tutorials online for how to use these options.
  • Wired Link: get a 3–4-meter USB C cable and plug in to your PC. Bam! Tethered VR! Welcome to 2016.
  • Air Link: Using the Oculus App on Windows and the Quest you can stream titles over wifi. I’ve found this to be pretty buggy, but I haven’t tried it in a while.
  • VR Desktop: This is my favorite option for streaming PC titles to the Quest. The apps (client and server) are fantastic, and the experience is rock solid.

Games

I’m not going to post an exhaustive list of everything I like. Instead, I’ll just list a few of my favorites. You can find most of these in the main store.

Single Player, story, chill, etc.

• Red Matter (haven’t played Red Matter 2 yet, but it looks good AF)
• Cubism
• Falcon Age
• Garden of the Sea
• Hand Physics Lab
• Mare
• Myst. Yeah, that Myst.
• Moss

Physical games to get you moving

• Beat Saber, obviously
• Pistol Whip, leg day
• Until You Fall is awesome
• Radnarock has no right to be so much fun

Multiplayer

• Demeo is an absolute must
• Walkabout Mini Golf is a fun place to hang out
• Real VR Fishing

Other stuff to think about

• Non-game VR experiences. Documentary, stories, etc. You can find many of these on the main store.
• 180 and 360 video: Check out the TV app and get the YouTube app. Tons of great stuff to see when you just want to sit back and relax.
• Regular video: Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube. Don’t dismiss the idea of having a giant screen!
• Browser: The true superpower of the Quest is the browser. It has great support for WebXR (VR experiences that you can use directly in a browser instead of other apps) and it’s decent for regular use. It’s based on mobile chromium, so no extensions.
• Working in VR:
  • Depending on your work, you may be able to do most or all of it in the browser.
  • Work with your Mac or PC in VR
    • Virtual Desktop
    • Immersed

Let me know if you have questions or if you want me to cover something in more detail.