After announcing the test of ads in the Oculus mobile app, Facebook will now also start testing in-headset ads within Oculus Quest apps.
Last month, Facebook announced it was starting to test ads in the Oculus mobile app “to give developers a new way to showcase their VR applications.” Now, it’s taking the test to the next level with a small test of in-headset ads.
The first app to run in-headset ads is Blaston from Resolution Games, and other developers will following within the next few weeks.
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In-headset will appear as standard boxes within game interfaces, and users can then click them to open an advertiser’s page on the Oculus Quest web browser – or select the option to save the link for later. The ad will then be saved in the Explore sections of the Quest in-VR experience and the Oculus mobile app.
However, Facebook will is also exploring other ways of presenting the ads.
“We’re currently investing in unobtrusive ads as a new way for developers to build businesses — and though we’re not quite ready to test them yet, we’re also exploring new ad formats that are unique to VR” reads the announcement.
While testing ads in Oculus apps, Facebook will get new information about users, such as whether they interacted with an ad and if so, how – i.e. whether they clicked on the ad or hid it. Otherwise, Facebook says that the test doesn’t change how Oculus data is processed or how it informs ads.
Furthermore, Facebook says it has “no plans” to collect user data from the VR set itself – like voice, movement, or video recordings.
Users will be able to block unwanted ads via feedback just like they can on all other Facebook-owned platforms.
Finally, Facebook says that it will use a shared-revenue model with app developers to help them monetize their apps, although it doesn’t reveal the exact share percentage.
However, the intention is to create a self-sustaining environment for VR apps to grow, attract developers to the platform and lower costs of innovative VR/AR hardware, thereby allowing the platform to reach more audiences.
With its accessible price tag of under $300, the Oculus Quest 2 headset is one of the most popular consumer VR sets at the moment.
