How do you Become an Oculus Developer in 2023?

If you’re interested in a career in developing immersive VR experiences in the metaverse, becoming an Oculus developer might be one of the best options for you. In this article, we will walk you through the process of becoming an Oculus Developer in 2023, including guidelines on how to publish a finished product on the Oculus Store.

With rising interest in virtual reality and the Metaverse, the demand for VR experiences is at an all-time high. In October 2022, Meta shared that over $1.5 billion had been spent on apps and experiences within the Quest store. This is a strong indicator of the exciting opportunities for Oculus developers in the future.

Key Points

This article provides a complete guide to becoming an Oculus developer in 2023.
Oculus was acquired by Meta (Formerly known as Facebook) in 2014. Since then, the company has had a clear vision of producing incredible quality VR headsets for users to enjoy interactive and immersive experiences.
Some benefits of becoming an Oculus developer include the ability to work remotely, the freedom to customize experiences, high returns and more fully.
If you are not an experienced developer, there are plenty of resources that you can utilize to learn more about developing Oculus experiences.
You can become an Oculus developer by registering and linking directly through Facebook or creating an Oculus developer account directly through Oculus Account Manager and its platform.

What Is The Oculus?

The Oculus refers to a series of VR headsets created by Meta to allow users to experience the virtual realm through 3D audio, high-resolution displays and more. The product line consists of six VR headsets, Rift, Go, Quest, Rift S, Quest 2 and the latest, Quest Pro.

In literal terms, the word Oculus refers to an “eye-shaped opening”, and these headsets have entirely transformed the virtual reality space due to their exciting features, affordability and easy accessibility.

After it acquired Oculus in 2014 for $2 billion, Meta combined its resources to build “Reality Labs”, a separate division focusing solely on AR and VR development. The Oculus product line was initially launched for gaming purposes, but VR has evolved to facilitate several other industries, such as healthcare, education and more.

One of their most popular headsets, the Oculus Quest 2, was launched in 2020 and sold over 15 million units last year. This headset was primarily successful due to its affordable price, exciting features, compatibility with Steam etc.

Brief Overview

Here’s a brief overview of the Oculus product line to date:

Oculus: Oculus is a gaming platform run by Reality Labs, a Meta company specializing in virtual and augmented reality technologies.

Rift: The Oculus Rift was launched in 2016 and was a PC-powered VR headset with controllers. The headset featured a 90Hz refresh rate with 2060 x 1200 resolution and a 90-degree horizontal FOV.

Go: Launched on May 2018, this wireless virtual reality headset featured a 72Hz refresh rate, 2560×1440 resolution, 3GB memory and more.

Rift S: This PC-powered VR headset was released on May 2019 and offered a 2560×1440 resolution with an 80Hz refresh rate.

Quest: The Oculus Quest was released in May 2019 and offers a 1440 x 1600 per eye resolution with a 72Hz refresh rate.

Quest 2: Oculus Quest 2 is the enhanced version of the Oculus Quest. It offers a

1832 x 1920 per eye resolution with a 120Hz refresh rate.

Quest Pro: Released on October 2022, the Oculus Quest Pro is priced significantly higher ($1599) than the Quest 2. The headset features a 106-degree FoV with a 90Hz refresh rate.

Why Become a Developer?

As we move closer to an era of borderless connectivity through AI and other extended reality technologies, the demand for developers is increasing significantly. There are several exciting tools and prebuilt libraries available for beginners to learn more about how to code.

Readily Accessible Resources

As mentioned above, several free and paid online courses can aid you on your journey to becoming an Oculus developer. You can learn your preferred computer language, such as Python, JavaScript, C++ and more by utilizing resources online, since a basic level of coding knowledge is required.

While obtaining a degree in software development is beneficial for beginning a profession, this field values individuals with better coding skills above all, making it the best part about this field. You can also complete various certifications online to prove your skillset to get the most out of your career.

Multiple Career Paths

As a developer, you have multiple choices when it comes to deciding the path for your career. You can choose to work for a large corporation, or you can start your business, and you even have the option to work as a freelancer online. Thanks to this choice, you may select a working atmosphere and culture that suits your needs.

Additionally, you may be employed by various businesses, and software development often offers opportunities for promotion. Software developers can rise into high-ranking programming jobs after beginning as entry-level programmers. Then, instead of coding all day, programmers might take on management roles where they monitor project development.

By emphasizing your career path focus on VR-related development, you can quickly put yourself on the fast track to becoming a software developer. Some of the responsibilities of Oculus developers include coding, 3D modelling, digitalization, designing and more.

Work From Anywhere

Most software companies today offer remote-based employment, allowing employees to work remotely. Working remotely has been shown to increase overall employee satisfaction, where developers can work from any location as long as they have access to the internet.

This gives businesses access to a global talent pool, as employees do not have to be physically present to get the work done. Companies are also looking into using VR to create virtual offices.

High Demand for Developers

There is a significant need for software developers. Especially with the massive hype around the Metaverse, many businesses are looking for reliable experts to assist them in joining the Metaverse.

It is essential to conduct thorough research into what types of coding skills are currently in demand. For example, Oculus developers must know languages such as Javascript, C++ and C#. By becoming an expert in these languages, you can quickly fulfil the needs of most businesses looking to develop virtual reality apps.

High Potential to Earn

Since the demand for Oculus developers is exceptionally high, the wages in the market are highly competitive. Money is definitely one of the most substantial incentives for individuals to become software engineers and developers.

If you decide to start your own business or become a freelancer, you can also charge according to the project’s scope. While it may be difficult to establish your own brand since this sector is highly competitive, it is very rewarding.

Developers should look into finding ways to collaborate on projects with high-tech companies that include the latest technologies such as Metaverse, augmented reality, mixed reality, virtual reality, artificial intelligence and more.

A Place for Creativity

The virtual realm is frequently referred to as a blank canvas for developers to unleash their creativity. Developers can customize environments however they’d like and use problem-solving skills to overcome issues.

Even though you will devote a significant amount of time to producing technical code, you will need to tap into your creativity, especially if you are given the freedom to build on individual projects.

Exciting Collaborations

As a developer, you can collaborate with other talented individuals to achieve specific goals. For example, many tech giants are exploring collaborations with other companies to leverage each other’s expertise to achieve goals faster.

This implies that programmers can work independently before gathering with the team to discuss how their contribution fits into the bigger picture. You can choose to work alone or with others as a software engineer or developer, and you’ll have time for both.

How Do You Become An Oculus Developer?

There are many ways to become an Oculus Developer. However, below are several key steps you should take to maximise your chances.

Step 1. Obtaining VR Coding Skills

As a Virtual Reality (VR) developer, you need to have experience in developing 3D graphics and VR environments, as well as utilizing hardware to provide immersive experiences.

Development training must include design as a key element. Virtual Reality developers should master design methodologies for extended reality, prototype creation, visual design principles and more.

An introductory coding class or training course is an excellent place to begin if you’re new to software development. However, despite the preexisting libraries and ready course material, it will be a while until you reach the skillset level required to code complex environments. Consider enrolling immediately in a virtual reality based training course if you already have a solid understanding of software development.

Step 2: Select Your Primary Development Platform

Virtual reality technology is consistently evolving, which is why it is essential to stay up to date with all recent developments. Developers can choose between Unity or Unreal to begin developing virtual reality applications. However, it is observed that Unity is more popular among developers.

This is because Unity utilizes fewer resources with better frame rates due to its optimization. It also has better mobile compatibility as compared to Unreal Engine. Oculus also utilizes Unity-based tools to allow developers to publish their creations. Since many developers use Unity for their needs, it is recommended to go with the industry standard to allow for easier collaborations.

Step 3: Registering with Oculus and Creating an Oculus Account

Upon visiting the Oculus for Developers portal, there are presently two methods to set up an Oculus developer account:

Create a Facebook account to register on Oculus (Or link your preexisting one)
Create a separate Oculus developer account

If you opt for creating a separate account, you would need to go through the entire signup process again by selecting a username, verifying your submitted email address, setting a secure password with 2-factor authentication and more. Your profile will then be submitted to Oculus to be verified.

Step 4: Start Developing Your Program

The last step is to start developing your program or if you are publishing under a corporation, then start creating and publishing under its name. You can download the Oculus Software Development Kit (SDK) to experiment with different applications.

You can explore your creativity and create new incredible virtual reality applications that you can later publish in the Oculus store, making this the most exciting part of the process.

Step 5: Publish on Oculus Store

Once you have fully created your VR experience, you can proceed towards publishing it on the official Oculus store to make it available for the public to use. There are specific guidelines and requirements that you have to meet for the app to be approved. You can find these guidelines on the official Oculus website.

You would also need to take screenshots and videos of the experience and fill out necessary forms to provide as much information as required to submit it to be “certified” by Oculus. After the certification is approved, you can publish directly on the Oculus store.

The Oculus team will provide you with detailed feedback on how to improve your application so that it can be published on the store if your certification is rejected.

Top 4 Ways to Become an Oculus Developer

Becoming an Oculus Developer is relatively easy. In this article, we’ve elaborated upon the benefits of becoming a developer, how you can start from the basics, what steps you need to go through to publish your app on the Oculus store, and more.

However, here are four different ways you can kickstart your career in Oculus Development:

1. Look For Job Opportunities: Explore job posting sites such as Glassdoor, LinkedIn and more to see which companies are currently looking for Oculus developers. It is recommended to have a portfolio of previous work to present to these companies to obtain these positions. You can also visit the Oculus Careers website to see if Oculus has any developer job openings.
2. Join Oculus Development Communities: Communities on social media platforms such as Reddit, Facebook and Twitter regularly post about opportunities within the Oculus development space. You can hear about up-and-coming opportunities alongside tips on how to apply.
3. Explore the Oculus Start Program: This program is not for beginners and requires that developers should either have published or developed a VR application in the past. You have to log in through your Oculus account and submit an application to get access to mentorship and funding opportunities.
4. Network With Other Developers: Stay on top of VR trends and make an effort to network with other Oculus developers in this space physically. This gives you a lot of exposure to new skills and job openings.

FAQs

Should Oculus Developers use Unity or Unreal Engine?

Many developers prefer to opt for Unity due to its excellent optimization and lesser resource requirement. Developers can build, test and publish their applications on Oculus using this content creation engine.

What programming languages should Oculus Developers be familiar with?

Oculus Developers should be familiar with programming languages such as C++, JavaScript and C# to develop virtual reality applications. There are various resources available online for beginners to learn these languages.