It’s pretty much been the same tune for, what, over a decade? You slip on a VR headset, and sure, it’s easy peasy—except when you compare it to just staring at a regular ol’ screen. Things shifted a ton since those early days, but Meta? They’re saying Quest peeps should make VR games more of a snack-sized thing. Because, you know, slapping a headset on isn’t the most frictionless experience. Weirdly true, right?
Then comes the Quest 3S, which hits in late 2024, shaking things up in the crowd somewhat. What’s up with that? Well, turns out these Quest folks are getting younger. And, surprise, surprise, they’re dropping more cash on those in-app goodies. That’s why games like Gorilla Tag and, oh, Animal Company—you heard of these?—are climbing the charts like grandma’s old curtains on a sunny day.
Meta’s got some advice for developers (shocker): keep games “snackable.” Not totally convinced what they mean sometimes. But the whole gist is—keep it just right for an average Joe’s day. More like a “Goldilocks Zone,” as they put it. Eat your porridge and wear your VR, I guess!
Let’s zoom in a bit more. Games? Supposed to be 20 to 40 minutes tops. Pop out quick so you don’t feel like you’re running from a heist before the police drop by. Plus, less eye-strain or wobbliness from all the virtual swirling. Oh, and if the Quest 3 battery’s got like two hours of juice, you might think, “Why limit it?” Well, you still gotta shove it on your head, adjust all the gizmos, and fling those controllers. It’s a workout just setting up sometimes.
They even say short loops are too short—makes sense (?!)—but an hour’s pushing it. I’m still trying to figure out what’s the sweet spot, but hey, you do you.
It’s about perception too; like, you spend 20 minutes and if it’s lit, you forgive having a computer glued to your forehead. Makes sense, surprisingly (or not).
Surveys say anything less than 15 minutes? Meh. People deal with high setup friction and all that hassle. Makes reality feel more of a chill than the VR sometimes. Almost like Meta’s low-key admitting it’s a bit clunky but still hyping a new gadget soon, maybe one that’s not like strapping a brick to your skull. But we wait—and see. Fingers crossed, they get it lighter next time, right?
