BigBox VR says the shutdown is necessary so it can focus on developing new experiences “that will push the boundaries of multiplayer VR.” However, Quest 1 players can technically play the game if they have a VR-ready PC. The game supports cross-buy, which makes the PC version available via Air Link and Oculus Link. This will allow users to play Population: One by connecting their Quest 1 headset to their computer (either wirelessly or wired). Players using the Quest 2, Oculus Rift, and Oculus Rift S will still be able to access the game. While Meta is offering Quest 1 owners a refund for Population: One, there’s a catch: you had to have purchased the game from the Quest Store within the last six months. The policy seems a bit unfair for a game that was released on Quest almost two years ago, and will likely leave many players with a game they can’t even play (unless, of course, they upgrade to Quest now – $399 2 or use the Air / Oculus Link, which requires an expensive VR-capable PC). Population: One’s shutdown also raises the question of whether other developers will soon end support for the three-year-old Quest 1. Meta spokeswoman Caiti Sullivan said in a statement to The Verge that the company is currently “working out the details of an ecosystem-wide end-of-support process” and that “other developers who choose to end support for apps in Quest 1 will be able to do so.” Meta declined to comment further when asked if any other games will end support for Quest 1 in the near future. I know games can’t support every older system forever, but the price increase, along with an announcement that will soon leave Quest 1 owners with one less game to play, feels like a double punch to the gut. As my colleague Jay Peters points out, Meta could raise the price of the Quest 2, and perhaps even nudge users toward it, to offset the losses the VR arm reported in both the first and second quarters of 2022. Update August 7, 2:27 PM ET: Updated to add that Population: One supports cross-buy.
