Minecraft, the best-selling video game of all time, probably requires no introduction. Initially launched for PC, it was later ported to mobile devices (Android, iOS) and most of the popular gaming consoles. Show
With the rising popularity of virtual reality, Minecraft was also made available for Gear VR and Oculus Rift. Times have moved forward since and the GearVR platform is now essentially shut down and Oculus Rift rather outdated. This often raises a question for modern-day Minecraft and VR enthusiasts – can you play Minecraft on the Quest 2 headset? To answer the question briefly: There is currently no official release of Minecraft VR for Quest 2 available in the Oculus Store. However, if you have a gaming PC, you can enjoy both Minecraft Java and Bedrock editions on your headset. Alternatively, you can sideload the Minecraft GearVR (Bedrock) edition or Java Edition (flat screen experience) on your headset. Let does look at each of the different options in a bit more detail. Did you hear? Facebook (Meta) is going all-in on virtual reality and the metaverse. Get a Quest 2 headset and be a part of the future of entertainment! 1) Minecraft Java Edition in VR (with Vivecraft)The first way to play Minecraft on your Quest 2 is to download the Minecraft Java Edition from minecraft.net. On top of the regular game, we will be installing Vivecraft, a mod that transforms Minecraft into a proper VR experience. Keep in mind that for this method you will need a gaming computer (check requirements) where the actual game will be installed and run. Since Minecraft is a lot less demanding than most other VR titles, you can probably get away with a below-average PC that has a dedicated GPU and meets the overall minimum requirements. Note! In this Minecraft Java Edition installation tutorial, I am assuming that you have already configured either Oculus Link, Air Link, or Virtual Desktop to play PCVR games with your Quest 2. Additionally, you will need to have Steam and SteamVR installed and configured. How to Install & Play Minecraft Java Edition VR on Quest 2
If anything was left unclear, make sure to watch my Minecraft Java edition installation video below, where I demonstrate all of the required steps in more detail: Note! If you are having any issues with installing and/or running the game properly, make sure to check out my article about troubleshooting Minecraft VR issues. 2) Minecraft Windows (Bedrock Edition)Minecraft Windows (often referred to as Bedrock edition) is a version of the game that you might be familiar with from playing on your phone, Xbox or Playstation. The Bedrock edition of Minecraft offers multiplayer cross-play with Xbox, Windows 10, PS, iOS, Android and other platforms. In the Java edition of Minecraft described earlier, you can only play against other Java edition players (albeit it has massive multiplayer servers). The main downside of Minecraft Bedrock is that there are fewer mods available compared to the Java edition. RequirementsIn order to play Bedrock on your Quest 2 headset using the method I am going to describe, you have to meet the following requirements:
If you are new to this, then (wired) Oculus Link is probably the easiest to start – you can actually use the charging cable to connect the headset to your PC and turn your Quest 2 into a PC VR headset. The game itself is more optimized and less resource-intensive (compared to the Java edition), which makes it a good choice if you have a PC with below-average specs. How to Play Minecraft Bedrock VR with Quest 2The steps to install and play Minecraft Bedrock edition with your Quest 2 headset (in VR( are following:
If you are having problems, make sure that “Unknown sources” are enabled and “OpenXR Runtime” is set to “set Oculus as active” in the Oculus PC software. If you got stuck or need help with any of the installation steps, I have also created a step-by-step Youtube video showing how to install and play Minecraft Bedrock Edition on your Quest 2: Note! Unfortunately, the Bedrock Edition of Minecraft does not work with Virtual Desktop. If you want to play the game wirelessly you have to use Air Link. If you are having any issues with installing and/or running the game properly, make sure to check out my article about troubleshooting Minecraft VR issues. 3) Playing Minecraft on Quest 2 Without PCNext, I am going to list methods you can use to play Minecraft on your Quest 2 headset if you don’t have a gaming PC (or no PC at all). If you don’t have a PC, you will be using your Android phone and software called Bugjaeger to install (sideload) Minecraft on your headset. Sideloading can also be done (and is more comfortable) with a non-gaming PC (using SideQuest) So with these tiny notes out in the open, let’s get started. 3.1) QuestCraft – Standalone Minecraft Java EditionIt’s here! The full-blown VR version of Minecraft Java Edition on your Quest 2. In standalone mode! As mentioned earlier, do keep in mind you will need a PC (or your phone) to sideload the application on your headset. The steps to sideload QuestCraft on your Quest 2:
If any of the steps were not clear, look at the tutorial video in QuestCraft or watch the Youtube video below (which also explains how to sideload without a PC): If you have any issues, leave a comment under the Youtube video or ask for help on the official QuestCraft discord channel. 3.2) Minecraft Java Edition (2D) using PojavLauncherAs the second method, I am going to describe how you can sideload Minecraft Java edition on your Quest 2 and play it in flat screen (2D) mode. With the release of QuestCraft, this method is not the preferred option anymore. I mean, you want Minecraft in VR after all, right? However, if you have any issues with QuestCraft, or for some reason you prefer playing in 2D, you might still give it a go. Playing just with Oculus Touch controllers is possible, but very uncomfortable (try it out for yourself). The best option for this method is to pair a Bluetooth Xbox controller with your Quest 2 where the controls are mapped correctly. Note! When you are thinking of playing with a Bluetooth keyboard and/or a mouse, then the latter was messed up for some reason and did not work properly. Keyboard works. The steps to install Minecraft Java edition on your Quest 2:
If you are having trouble at any point, make sure to check out the Youtube video below for step-by-step instructions on using PojavLauncher to play Minecraft Java edition on your Quest 2: Note! I personally had problems signing in to PojavLauncher with my Microsoft account. I ended up getting it working by typing in my e-mail (no password) and selecting the “Login as offline account” option. After that my account was present in the “Select account” section and I could continue installing and playing. 3.3) Minecraft GearVR (Bedrock) EditionThe last method to play Minecraft on your Quest 2 is to sideload the GearVR edition of Minecraft to your headset. The GearVR edition of Minecraft is actually the Bedrock Edition. The difference here is that it will be installed and run on your Quest 2 headset, instead of your PC which was described earlier in the article. Note! Mojang, the developer for Minecraft ended the support of Minecraft Gear VR in 2020 (the latest version released was 1.16.x). So for this method, you will have to use outdated releases which oftentimes have to be downloaded from shady places. Continue at your own risk! What you need:
To set up sideloading using Bugjaeger follow this manual. The complete step-by-step guide to installing and running Minecraft GearVR on your Quest 2 headset can be found in the Youtube video below: Note! Some older Minecraft GearVR versions seem to work with the Oculus Touch controllers (e.g 1.14.x), for others, you need a Bluetooth Xbox controller. 4) Bonus: Voxel Works Quest (MineCraft Alternative)If you like the general concept of Minecraft and are willing to try something new, Voxel Works Quest is definitely worth checking out. In the standard mode, you can use controller buttons for locomotion and mining. There is also a Sportive mode that utilizes Oculus Quest`s hand tracking for mining and other activities and you need to imitate running to move around in the world. The game is still pretty much “work in progress”, but gets regular updates and new features added. Go ahead and test it out and show the developer some love and/or feedback on how to improve the game further down the line. What you need:
The installation requires you to set up Sidequest for sideloading games. Refer to the official manual or use the guidelines provided earlier in this article. And that’s it! Happy Minecrafting! How do you launch bedrock in VR Quest 2?Minecraft Bedrock Edition. Install Oculus Link.. Install Minecraft within Oculus Link.. If you haven't already, install Minecraft Bedrock Edition from the Microsoft Store.. Connect your Oculus Quest 2 to your PC.. Now you can easily launch Minecraft from Oculus Link.. How do you play bedrock in Minecraft VR?VR support is actually built into the Bedrock Edition. Enabling VR in Minecraft Bedrock Edition depends on where you've purchased Minecraft. If you've purchased Minecraft from the official Oculus Store, Minecraft will natively show up as a VR title in your library. You don't need to do anything further, just launch it!
Can the oculus Quest 2 run Minecraft?Minecraft has, in fact, been made compatible with the Quest 2, even if it isn't currently showing on the Oculus 2 games page. It is the Java Edition as opposed to the Bedrock Edition, which may be worth bearing in mind. So if you want to experience the game in its full virtual reality glory, it is possible.
Can you get Minecraft bedrock on Oculus?The bedrock version is already VR compatible and we can quickly get it up and running. You will need to purchase it either from the Microsoft/Minecraft Store or it will be in your Xbox Game Pass library. However, the Bedrock Edition also comes with its own set of drawbacks.
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