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Oculus titles can now offer subscriptions via the Quest store

It will enable companies to offer continually-updated content in VR.

Devindra Hardawar

Today, Oculus is announcing the addition of subscription tools to the Quest store, enabling developers to bill users on a regular basis. It’s a notable step away from the traditional model of buying titles for VR platforms, and one that reflects the greater diversity of products available. Developers like FitXR, Rec Room, Tribe XR, vSpatial and Tripp can offer premium content behind a subscription, as well as time-limited free trials, which has been difficult to achieve until now.

In a blog post, the company adds that any content that you have already bought will not be sacrificed to milk you for cash. Users who have already purchased material will still have access to it, although they will be given the option to add more if they sign up and subscribe.

Buying a VR title has, until now, been rooted in the same fairly rigid business model as buying a console game. You pay your money, and in most cases, get what you buy, with the exception of bug fixes — with DLC options available to expand the game further. But that’s less useful for productivity content like vSpatial, a digital fitness club like FitXR, or a meditation platform like Tripp.