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Meta locked two games I already paid for - Blade & Sorcery VR and Beat Saber - behind account verification on the Quest 2. I already bought both of these, play

Meta locked two games I already paid for - Blade & Sorcery VR and Beat Saber - behind account verification on the Quest 2. I already bought both of these, played them for a while, but now it won't let me use the headset without "verifying" my facebook account by sending them a photograph of my drivers license. Neither of these games are online, neither allow me to interact with other users in any way. I will never buy a Meta product again, the brand reputation is lower than dirt to me. Even ignoring all the other awful things Meta does, they have no reason to require a verified account to play two local-only games that I already paid for. No matter how cool glasses like these may look, I have no trust that the brand will not suddenly demand more money or information from me to continue using a product I have already purchased.

xdfgh1112 1y ago
How does that work? The Quest doesn't even require a Facebook account. They were decoupled in 2022.
- makeitdouble 1y ago
  I'd assume the purchases were made with the Facebook account, when it was still required, so the purchase can't be used on another account ? I haven't checked, but the Facebook decoupling was made kicking and screaming so I assume there will be rought edges
- kotaKat 1y ago
  You can’t tell me a Meta account isn’t just a Facebook account with extra steps. It’s still Facebook and will always be Facebook.
whatsupdog 1y ago
Agree. And the constant spying doesn't help either. Who wants an always online meta controlled camera/microphone in their bedroom all the time?
- ryandrake 1y ago
  I'm never going to update a photo government ID to some company just to use an app. What kind of a bonkers world are we living in? Totally ridiculous. No app is worth this.
  - mikae1 1y ago
    Most new accounts seem to require a face scan too (finally they're true to their name?). I recently needed to get a Facebook account and was not able to use it without providing the scan. Luckily I was able to do an AI face swap, but far from everyone is that savvy.
    - a5c11 1y ago
      Interesting. Did you swap your face on a computer, and pointed the smartphone camera on the monitor?
      - mikae1 1y ago
        Desktop browser & https://github.com/hacksider/Deep-Live-Cam https://github.com/hacksider/Deep-Live-Cam
  - heavyset_go 1y ago
    Some sites outsource their ID verification to platforms that want live videos of different angles of your face, along with pictures of your ID. Literally all the data they could possibly need to build 3D models of your face for even better facial recognition, along with plenty of data to train models on. When that data eventually leaks, it will be interesting. It's insane that anyone puts up with it.
    - dahrkael 1y ago
      people scan their retina in exchange of coupons amd shitcoins in mall booths
zeroq 1y ago
This, plus the fact that if you dig deep enough into your google account you'll probably find an audio file with you saying "really? I can't play this game? Fuck you facebook, never buying your gear again" recorded from your android phone without your consent or knowing.
sneak 1y ago
The above post didn’t even load for me because I have all of their domain names DNS blocked at my router and in NextDNS on mobile.
liendolucas 1y ago
This. Also (if possible) move away from Facebook. I have zero respect for this company, no matter what they do or come up with. Always remember that you are under their will, be your data, be the devices you purchase from them or any other thing that is related to them.
strogonoff 1y ago
Microsoft pulled the account verification trick with Minecraft after forced account migration a few years back, locking accounts and forcing customers to verify mobile phone number to even launch the game.
- afandian 1y ago
  That's crazy. If you want to play something minecraft-like, Luanti (VoxeLibre) is really excellent. I play it with my child, and it's indistinguishable from 'real Minecraft'. https://www.luanti.org/ https://www.luanti.org/
  - strogonoff 1y ago
    I am looking at Vintage Story, to be honest. Inspired by TerraFirmaCraft mod, it is indie and seems determined to stay that way.
- ramon156 1y ago
  iirc there's a YouTuber that wants to sue Microsoft for this weird rugpull, although I doubt it will happen
- FergusArgyll 1y ago
  At least on nintendo switch that's not true
- ToucanLoucan 1y ago
  In the most minor defense of the devil: with Minecraft, you have a substantial audience who is underage, the game features multiplayer heavily, and I don't think it's the worst idea ever to have verified accounts there.
  - strogonoff 1y ago
    True, though whether you play on any servers or not does not seem to be relevant to Microsoft’s process. Also, it works the other way too, in that Microsoft would be collecting information of children who are presumably the majority of players.
whywhywhywhy 1y ago
Switching from just basic Oculus accounts to Facebook accounts was the dumbest move, I say that from someone who was really enjoying the Rift and Quest 1 hardware. Whole thing was pretty effortless until that moment, then logging into it became this massive chore where you're bounding between the phone and headset twice, really tedious if you're not a big facebooker so haven't used their login flow in years and it was all just extremely janky. Then there were a bunch of walls in the transition period where Oculus accounts can do X,Y but Meta accounts are needed for Z. Can really tell Zuck told the teams "All in on VR/AR" and the accounts/FB team began "well if its core it's account should be the core account we use". Would have been much smarter to keep it like Instagram where it's an entirely separate feeling account but under the hood deeply connected in a way that allows the data syphoning they want but the end user it rarely feels like a Facebook account.
- newman8r 1y ago
  That was the day I stopped developing for VR completely. Kind of dodged a bullet because the space didn't explode the way I thought it was going to.
- illusive4080 1y ago
  Why did you have to switch to a Facebook account? I was gifted a Meta Quest 3S, and I was forced to make a Meta account, but I didn’t have to make a Facebook account.
  - mbreese 1y ago
    When the Quest 2 came out they shifted from using a specific Oculus account to requiring Facebook accounts. It was a dumb idea and my wife was questioning why I made a Facebook account for my 12 year old kid (who as a typical Gen Z will probably never use FB proper). They have since reversed that decision.
    - illusive4080 1y ago
      I dislike being forced into any Meta account whatsoever, and I would’ve purchased a Valve Index, but I did get the headset for free in a giveaway.
benterix 1y ago
> now it won't let me use the headset without "verifying" my facebook account by sending them a photograph of my drivers license. I believe this would be the first time in my life that I would try to generate a fake driver's license.[0] It's completely ridiculous. [0] Not to mention that I'd only use a fake FB account first anyway, there's no way I'd give them my real data. I know Zuck apologized by "dumb fucks", but while the wording was offensive he was actually right.
damnesian 1y ago
they don't look cool anymore. they are the eyes of skynet. I have prescriptions coming up and I have always bought ray bans. I won't anymore, I don't want anyone to think I am spying on them, because that's what they are, spy tools.
deleted 1y ago
[deleted]
metabagel 1y ago
Yeah, looks like a cool product, but I would never buy anything from Facebook, because it's primarily an advertising company.
bitcurious 1y ago
> Neither of these games are online, neither allow me to interact with other users in any way. Beatsaber has a multiplayer mode, so if your opinion is contingent on online play you should reconsider.

xdfgh1112 1y ago

How does that work? The Quest doesn't even require a Facebook account. They were decoupled in 2022.

makeitdouble 1y ago
I'd assume the purchases were made with the Facebook account, when it was still required, so the purchase can't be used on another account ? I haven't checked, but the Facebook decoupling was made kicking and screaming so I assume there will be rought edges
kotaKat 1y ago
You can’t tell me a Meta account isn’t just a Facebook account with extra steps. It’s still Facebook and will always be Facebook.

whatsupdog 1y ago

Agree. And the constant spying doesn't help either. Who wants an always online meta controlled camera/microphone in their bedroom all the time?

ryandrake 1y ago
I'm never going to update a photo government ID to some company just to use an app. What kind of a bonkers world are we living in? Totally ridiculous. No app is worth this.
- mikae1 1y ago
  Most new accounts seem to require a face scan too (finally they're true to their name?). I recently needed to get a Facebook account and was not able to use it without providing the scan. Luckily I was able to do an AI face swap, but far from everyone is that savvy.
  - a5c11 1y ago
    Interesting. Did you swap your face on a computer, and pointed the smartphone camera on the monitor?
    - mikae1 1y ago
      Desktop browser & https://github.com/hacksider/Deep-Live-Cam https://github.com/hacksider/Deep-Live-Cam
- heavyset_go 1y ago
  Some sites outsource their ID verification to platforms that want live videos of different angles of your face, along with pictures of your ID. Literally all the data they could possibly need to build 3D models of your face for even better facial recognition, along with plenty of data to train models on. When that data eventually leaks, it will be interesting. It's insane that anyone puts up with it.
  - dahrkael 1y ago
    people scan their retina in exchange of coupons amd shitcoins in mall booths

zeroq 1y ago

This, plus the fact that if you dig deep enough into your google account you'll probably find an audio file with you saying "really? I can't play this game? Fuck you facebook, never buying your gear again" recorded from your android phone without your consent or knowing.

sneak 1y ago

The above post didn’t even load for me because I have all of their domain names DNS blocked at my router and in NextDNS on mobile.

liendolucas 1y ago

This. Also (if possible) move away from Facebook. I have zero respect for this company, no matter what they do or come up with. Always remember that you are under their will, be your data, be the devices you purchase from them or any other thing that is related to them.

strogonoff 1y ago

Microsoft pulled the account verification trick with Minecraft after forced account migration a few years back, locking accounts and forcing customers to verify mobile phone number to even launch the game.

afandian 1y ago
That's crazy. If you want to play something minecraft-like, Luanti (VoxeLibre) is really excellent. I play it with my child, and it's indistinguishable from 'real Minecraft'. https://www.luanti.org/ https://www.luanti.org/
- strogonoff 1y ago
  I am looking at Vintage Story, to be honest. Inspired by TerraFirmaCraft mod, it is indie and seems determined to stay that way.
ramon156 1y ago
iirc there's a YouTuber that wants to sue Microsoft for this weird rugpull, although I doubt it will happen
FergusArgyll 1y ago
At least on nintendo switch that's not true
ToucanLoucan 1y ago
In the most minor defense of the devil: with Minecraft, you have a substantial audience who is underage, the game features multiplayer heavily, and I don't think it's the worst idea ever to have verified accounts there.
- strogonoff 1y ago
  True, though whether you play on any servers or not does not seem to be relevant to Microsoft’s process. Also, it works the other way too, in that Microsoft would be collecting information of children who are presumably the majority of players.

whywhywhywhy 1y ago

Switching from just basic Oculus accounts to Facebook accounts was the dumbest move, I say that from someone who was really enjoying the Rift and Quest 1 hardware. Whole thing was pretty effortless until that moment, then logging into it became this massive chore where you're bounding between the phone and headset twice, really tedious if you're not a big facebooker so haven't used their login flow in years and it was all just extremely janky. Then there were a bunch of walls in the transition period where Oculus accounts can do X,Y but Meta accounts are needed for Z. Can really tell Zuck told the teams "All in on VR/AR" and the accounts/FB team began "well if its core it's account should be the core account we use". Would have been much smarter to keep it like Instagram where it's an entirely separate feeling account but under the hood deeply connected in a way that allows the data syphoning they want but the end user it rarely feels like a Facebook account.

newman8r 1y ago
That was the day I stopped developing for VR completely. Kind of dodged a bullet because the space didn't explode the way I thought it was going to.
illusive4080 1y ago
Why did you have to switch to a Facebook account? I was gifted a Meta Quest 3S, and I was forced to make a Meta account, but I didn’t have to make a Facebook account.
- mbreese 1y ago
  When the Quest 2 came out they shifted from using a specific Oculus account to requiring Facebook accounts. It was a dumb idea and my wife was questioning why I made a Facebook account for my 12 year old kid (who as a typical Gen Z will probably never use FB proper). They have since reversed that decision.
  - illusive4080 1y ago
    I dislike being forced into any Meta account whatsoever, and I would’ve purchased a Valve Index, but I did get the headset for free in a giveaway.

benterix 1y ago

> now it won't let me use the headset without "verifying" my facebook account by sending them a photograph of my drivers license. I believe this would be the first time in my life that I would try to generate a fake driver's license.[0] It's completely ridiculous. [0] Not to mention that I'd only use a fake FB account first anyway, there's no way I'd give them my real data. I know Zuck apologized by "dumb fucks", but while the wording was offensive he was actually right.

damnesian 1y ago

they don't look cool anymore. they are the eyes of skynet. I have prescriptions coming up and I have always bought ray bans. I won't anymore, I don't want anyone to think I am spying on them, because that's what they are, spy tools.

deleted 1y ago

[deleted]

metabagel 1y ago

Yeah, looks like a cool product, but I would never buy anything from Facebook, because it's primarily an advertising company.

bitcurious 1y ago

> Neither of these games are online, neither allow me to interact with other users in any way. Beatsaber has a multiplayer mode, so if your opinion is contingent on online play you should reconsider.