SideQuest is celebrating one-year since its launch in May 2019, just shortly after the Oculus Quest. The platform also reached 500 approved apps on the same day, the most recent of which is a experimental and relaxing experience called BlanketWorks by SideQuest creator Shane Harris.
SideQuest is one of the easiest and best ways to sideload experiences onto the Oculus Quest that are not available on the official Oculus Store. With the launch of the Oculus Quest, Facebook implemented a strict curation policy for the content available on the headset through Oculus. However, SideQuest provides users with a way to install custom content that is not available on the Oculus Store, whether that be due to a rejection, a pending application or simply because it’s more experimental and not something that fits on the official platform.
Over the last year, the amount of content on SideQuest has rapidly increased, as has the variety. Although hand tracking on Quest is now in full release, SideQuest is a hub for experimental demonstrations of the technology, such as the Hand Physics Lab. Some apps on SideQuest also now accept donations or require a purchase to install, while others are free demos of larger games that are available on the Oculus Store or are still in development.
The 500th approved title on SideQuest is a new experience by SideQuest creator Shane Harris called BlanketWorks, which uses the Quest’s controller-free hand tracking to allow users to build blanket forts in VR. You can check out the game here.
Many Oculus Quest users are familiar with SideQuest, however if you’re new to the platform and want to know how to set up and start using non-Oculus Store software, check out our how-to guide. We’ve also got a list of the best apps and games available to sideload on SideQuest — there’s quite a selection!
