Oculus PC patch 1.17 has rolled out, bringing with it a much-desired feature. Oculus Rift users would previously have to juggle applications if they wished to switch between a title bought through Steam and one bought via the Oculus Store, the latest patch eliminates this problem.
Switching between PC applications whist ensconced in virtual reality (VR) is something of a problem, often awkward and unwieldy to accomplish in VR, so many users resort to taking off the headset for the sole purpose of switching applications, such as moving from the Oculus software to Steam or vice versa.
Released over the weekend, patch 1.17 allows Oculus Rift users to access videogames and applications bought via Steam or GOG. This means that users can stay within the Oculus software and still launch VR-compatible titles bought from a Steam or GOG account without needing to implement any workarounds or remove the headset.
Other new additions introduced in the new update include the inclusion of the Parties feature. This allows up to four Oculus Rift users to chat to one another, even when engaging in entirely different videogames or apps, essentially allowing the chat group to follow the user wherever they happen to go in VR.
There have also been the expected general bug fixes and improvements, such as stability enhancements and a fix that should repair an ongoing problem with Oculus Rift headset disconnections.
VRFocus will continue to report on new updates and enhancements to VR software.