Widespread reports of an error preventing users from launching the Oculus software that powers the headset began appearing earlier yesterday. The company has today released a repair tool that patches the error in lieu of an automatic update.

Update (03/08/18): Oculus has pushed out a patch to the critical error first reported yesterday. You can find the tool here.

Downloading and running the exe. file results in a repair of the Oculus runtime. No game data or game files are touched during this process. Here’s a walkthrough of how to install the patch in case you have any doubts.

Oculus says manually updating the software is only necessary if you’re unable to start the Oculus desktop app; if you aren’t seeing an error, the system will update itself to the new version automatically. To boot, the company is also throwing a $15 Oculus Store credit (or currency equivalent) to people impacted by this issue , payable to anyone who played on Rift after February 1st, 2018. The credit will be added to user accounts automatically within the next 7 days.

The original article detailing the issue follows below.

Original article (3/7/18): There’s a good chance that if you try to fire up your Rift right now, none of your VR games will work correctly, or you’ll receive this error outright:

Reports of the error are widespread. Of the two different Oculus Rifts (on different systems) that we’ve tried here at Road to VR, neither are working due to the error. We took a quick poll of our Twitter followers and have yet to hear from a single user presently able to launch and play a Rift experience.

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Oculus officially acknowledged the issue earlier today on their forums, saying that they are “actively investigating.” A recent update to that thread details the cause of the problem, but the company is still working on a fix:

Update
This is an issue with our software certification that we’re still actively working on. For security, we use a certificate to ensure that the software you receive actually comes from Oculus. That certificate has expired, and we’re looking at a few different ways to resolve the issue. We’ll update you with the latest info as available. We recommend you wait until we provide an official fix. Thanks for your patience.

Update #2:
Hey everyone – We’re still working hard to resolve the cert issue. We’re in the process of integrating an updated cert. Unfortunately, pushing the update out to affected users has some added complexity, as the expired cert blocks our standard software update path. We’re working through the options now, and we expect to have more details to share later this evening.

While some unofficial workarounds have been proposed, Oculus is encouraging patience for an official fix, as workarounds could have some unforeseen consequences. Exactly how Oculus will deploy a fix is in question, as the software may not be able to launch to update itself.

As Rift-less players become reacquainted with actual reality, some have taken to social media to joke about the loss of their virtual worlds. Reddit user EgoAnt shared this mashup, based on the Ready Player One trailer.

VR satirist Damo9000 has coined the mass de-Rifting, “The Day VR Died.

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We’ll keep an eye on Oculus’ investigation of the issue and keep our readers up to date when a fix is available.

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Ben is the world's most senior professional analyst solely dedicated to the XR industry, having founded Road to VR in 2011—a year before the Oculus Kickstarter sparked a resurgence that led to the modern XR landscape. He has authored more than 3,000 articles chronicling the evolution of the XR industry over more than a decade. With that unique perspective, Ben has been consistently recognized as one of the most influential voices in XR, giving keynotes and joining panel and podcast discussions at key industry events. He is a self-described "journalist and analyst, not evangelist."
  • Adam Broadhurst

    Pathetic.

  • Tor Flathus

    No investigation needed, that was done by the community already before they showed up to work this morning since Europe had been having this issues for five hours or so.
    it’s certification issue on a series of the core process DLL’s.
    They simply need to establish a new cert, make sure it validates.
    Another problem would be how to actually disseminate the solution, since the oculus updater is in the software that now refuse to start.

    It is quite possible, granted just speculating, that the solution would be to run the oculus repair from the installer. This will involve downloading the whole 5GB software again..

    This is also not from an actual update or anything like this, it simply was a certificate that hasn’t been update that is now failing since it wasn’t properly signed and there fore had hard fail date.

    Saying “VR died” is grossly melodramatic.
    It’s at worst a forced break and very very dumb mistake for any professional, or amateur even to make.

    • Caven

      Taking humor literally is also grossly melodramatic. I’m sure people are aware that competing headsets exist, and that they’re unaffected by an Oculus-specific bug.

      • Annie

        Google pays now 97 US dollars/h to complete some jobs working off of a home computer .. Work only for just few hours & spend greater time together with your loved ones … You can catch this super post!on Tuesday I bought a new Subaru Impreza just after making $6876 past month .it’s certainly the best work however you will no longer forgive yourself if you don’t take a look at it.!jh802j:➧➧➧➧ http://GooglePlayBestFreelanceEasyJobs/getpay/$98/everyhour ♥♥j♥♥♥o♥♥k♥♥♥y♥♥j♥i♥♥♥u♥♥t♥c♥♥♥k♥♥♥q♥d♥♥♥u♥♥♥p♥l♥♥d♥♥♥r♥♥♥l♥♥t♥♥♥k♥♥g♥♥e♥♥k♥l♥u::::::::!ag282d:elk

    • Guest

      VR died the day it was made dependent on an internet connection.

      P.S. Using the term “dumb” is an insult to millions of disabled people.

      • brandon9271

        “Dumb” is an SJW trigger word now? You’ve got to be friggin kidding me.

        • Guest

          Its against the American Civil Disabilities Act in the USA. Try using that word in academia or the workplace and you will understand the consequences.

          • brandon9271

            I wouldn’t want to be guilty of “wrong speak” and anger the ministry of truth.

          • Dalai

            I use it on a daily basis Guest. Shove your soy flavored unicorn frappuccino up your ass.

  • Jib

    Oculus have dropped the ball on this one. It does not give me much faith in their IT department.

    • Firestorm185

      ball shaped controllers, calling it now. xD

      • Firestorm185

        Theyll probably be blue.

        • brandon9271

          PsMove has balls.. :)

          • Flamerate1

            Aren’t they also blue?

          • Anonymiiss

            I got ripped off – mine are red and blue.

          • Flamerate1

            Blue ball in one hand and strangled on the other?

  • Rainfox Wolfstone

    Why is local software dependant on the cloud to work.

    • Jistuce

      Because Facebook.

  • sfmike

    Once more the “professionals” let us down. Sad……

  • Billy Wallace

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5E5HD-x2mw Stargate Origins releases in a few hours, glad I have a Samsung odyssey to watch it on, feel sorry for you rifters, what did mark call you “dumphuckers?”

  • dk

    the RPO gif xD

  • Firestorm185

    For anyone still here, the patch is up! – https://www.oculus.com/rift-patch/

  • iThinkMyCatIsAFlea

    Don’t support Oculus! Google Oculus Trump.

    • CURTROCK

      Hurray! You are back! This is awesome. Congratulations on the HUGE success of your anti-oculus campaign. The recent Valve monthly usage survey confirms your words are having the desired effect. Continued success with your excellent cause. You are amazing!!!! :)

      • Guest

        Both Facebook and Twitter benefit and not just on their Irish/Dutch Tax Sandwiches…

    • Jistuce

      Don’t support HTC! Google vive hitler!

    • brandon9271

      Google “I like Trump, I own a Rift,” ;)

  • ymo1965
  • Mateusz Pawluczuk

    They missed their own cert date?

  • ummm…

    Could this happen with vive/open vr?

    • Doctor Bambi

      Theoretically it could happen to any piece of officially released software that fails to update its certificates before they expire. It’s not a common issue and I’m sure Oculus will put the necessary checks in place to make sure this never happens again.

  • Damo9000 is awesome