The new URL Applab.games from SideQuest looks to be a very useful option for those looking for experimental Oculus Quest games to install without a PC required.
The new page just went live from SideQuest with 16 apps already listed as of this writing. Clicking on one of them takes you directly to a listing on the Oculus website where you can buy or add it to your Quest library.
App Lab titles are essentially unlisted software releases that have standards which are easier to win approval for than Oculus Quest store releases. Developers can build community and test experimental ideas with an App Lab release.
SideQuest has effectively been an alternate app store for experimental Quest titles since the original headset released in 2019. Its software typically requires a PC and USB cable to transfer to the headset, but now App Lab takes the PC out of the process.
Applab.games gives game developers a directory they can use, and memorable URL they can share, from a company that’s already well known among Quest buyers. The site isn’t the only such aggregator for App Lab content, but SideQuest already has traction with many developers and lots of Quest owners are already familiar with the SideQuest brand.
Oculus Quest 2 is on the path to mainstream acceptance, according to Facebook’s executives, and some figures released recently show a large percentage of developers earning significant revenue via the all-in-one VR headset’s Oculus Store. App Lab doesn’t guarantee a path to the Oculus Store, but we’ll be watching it closely for interesting apps our readers should know about.
