Meta, previously known as Facebook, has announced that three of its exclusive virtual reality titles will be discontinued in March 2024. The affected games include the VR shooters Dead and Buried (2016) and its sequel Dead and Buried II (2019), as well as the virtual pet simulator Bogo (2019).
In an email to current game owners, Meta revealed that support for these titles will be terminated on March 15th, 2024. The games have already been removed from store search results, and users will no longer be able to purchase or download them, unless they are already in their library.
Dead and Buried, released in 2016 as a launch title for Oculus Touch, was a pioneering multiplayer VR shooter that focused on room-scale gameplay. It offered various modes, including co-op, player versus player, and single-player.
Interestingly, while Dead and Buried never made its way to the Oculus Quest, a version was adapted for the Oculus Go, a standalone VR headset. Meanwhile, Meta’s game development studio at the time, Oculus Studios, was working on Dead and Buried II, which was released as a launch title for the original Quest in May 2019. It later arrived on Rift with cross-play functionality.
Dead and Buried II introduced stick-driven locomotion, allowing for more dynamic shootouts across multiple maps. Bogo, on the other hand, was a free launch title for the Oculus Quest in 2019, providing users with the opportunity to raise and care for a virtual pet.
Unfortunately, Bogo will also be removed from both Quest and Rift Stores, as well as user libraries, on March 15th. This decision suggests that Meta is not prioritizing legacy support for original Quest games as it looks towards the next generation of VR headsets, specifically the rumored Quest 3.
More details about Meta’s future plans are expected to be revealed during Connect 2023 on September 27th.
Definitions:
– Meta: Previously known as Facebook, Meta is a technology company that focuses on developing virtual reality and augmented reality hardware and software.
– VR (Virtual Reality): Virtual reality refers to a computer-generated simulation of a three-dimensional environment that can be interacted with using special electronic devices, typically wearing a head-mounted display.
– VR Shooter: A VR shooter is a virtual reality game genre where players engage in shooting or combat activities in a virtual environment.
– VR Locomotion: VR locomotion refers to the methods used to navigate and move within a virtual reality space.
– Quest: Oculus Quest is a line of all-in-one virtual reality headsets developed Meta. It allows users to experience VR without the need for a PC or smartphone.
– Oculus Touch: Oculus Touch is a pair of handheld controllers designed for use with Oculus Rift and Oculus Quest virtual reality headsets.
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