No VR-ready PC required.
Despite the numerous streaming apps available on the Oculus (Meta) Quest, you’d think watching your favorite video content side-by-side with friends in VR would be a relatively straightforward process. Unfortunately, most Quest-based streaming apps—including Netflix and Prime Video VR—feature little to no social functionality.
This includes YouTube VR. Thankfully, one indie developer has created a workaround that allows you to watch any YouTube video side-by-side with both friends and strangers in VR on the Quest, no PC required.
Available now on Quest via the App Lab, Couch is a simple, but effective social VR app that immerses you in a virtual theater where you can access any YouTube video you’d like in VR, all for the low, low cost of $0.00. Players are represented as basic egg-shaped avatars and can interact with one another via built-in voice chat. You can hop into a public lobby and browse videos alongside strangers or meet up with friends in one of 1,000 private rooms.
The video browser itself is about as barebones as it gets. You can browse for specific videos via the search bar and, well, that’s about it. Still, this is a great way for Quest users without a dedicated PC to watch videos with others in VR. In the future, I’d love to see additional features, such as the ability to create and share playlists, schedule virtual meet-ups, and watch 360-degree videos.
Couch is available now 100% free of charge on Quest headsets via the App Lab. For more information visit here.
For those with access to a VR-ready PC, I recommend checking out Bigscreen. This free app allows you to mirror your PC directly to your headset and host large-scale viewing parties in VR. There’s even a virtual cinema where you can purchase tickets for access to both new and classic film screenings.
Feature Image Credit: Mr. Cheerio