From the week commencing February 2, Facebook began rolling out Messenger on Oculus for all Quest and Quest 2 users.
According to the recent announcement, people using the standalone mobile VR headsets will now be able to chat with their friends through the Messenger platform while still immersed inside virtual realities. Facebook states:
“With this update, you can choose to chat with your Facebook friends anywhere they have Messenger, even if they’re not in VR. You can reach them without taking off your headset—and they can chat with you too”
Along with standard instant messaging capabilities, this new feature will also allow Quest and Quest 2 users to enter “Oculus Party” mode for co-op gaming, video, and other entertainment features – but what about business?
Workplace Messaging next?
While there’s still no mention of using this feature from a corporate standpoint, it’s fair to assume that Facebook will be adding something similar to its professional “Workplace” platform in the near future.
When announcing the expansion of its “Messenger Rooms” feature to Workplace back in Q2 2020, there was already a strong suggestion that VR would have a huge part to play in Facebook’s enterprise offering.
“In the year since we launched Oculus Quest, demand for VR has grown, not just for entertainment, but also immersive professional training and virtual meetings… Now, we’re making it easier for more companies to use the power of VR to improve business results” – Facebook Newsroom Blog
While the bulk of Quest 2’s phenomenal success in over the Q4 period undoubtedly came from holiday sales in the consumer market, it’s clear that Facebook has even bigger plans for the headset pushing forward.
As of now, the Workplace platform offers a wide range of virtual collaboration features ranging from group video calls to encrypted instant messaging – and VR Messenger seems like a natural extension of that offering.
