Oculus Quest Pavlov (Options, Sideload, Install, Pricing)


Pavlov is a Virtual Reality multiplayer shooter video game with amazing features and realistic combat. It is set in both the modern and World War II eras, giving you a VR adventure on various historical scenarios. If you have an Oculus Quest 2 VR headset, you might be wondering if you can get Pavlov on it.

So, can you get Pavlov on Oculus Quest 2? You can get Pavlov on your Oculus Quest 2 but through sideloading. Pavlov is not available on the Oculus Store, but the developer announced that you could use App Lab to sideload the game. The Quest 2 version is referred to as Pavlov: Shock Beta, and on the official Meta Quest website, Oculus confirms that the game is experimental or still in development, hence might not perform well. Using your gaming PC, you can also use SideQuest to sideload Pavlov on your headset.

Meta Platforms introduced the Oculus Store for Quest headset users to easily find and download all games and apps with Quest support. If a certain app or game is not available on the Oculus Store and you need it, you can use the Sideloading option.

Pavlov is a popular military shooter video game originally released as a PC VR game. As more tech companies released their VR headsets, Pavlov’s developers started to include support for certain VR headsets like the HTC Vive and Valve Index. If you love Pavlov VR, you might be wondering if you can get it on your Oculus Quest 2 VR headset.

You can get Pavlov on your Oculus Quest 2 but through sideloading. Pavlov is not available on the Oculus Store because the developer has not released an official version for the Oculus Quest 2 headset. You can use App Lab or SideQuest to sideload the Pavlov game on your Oculus Quest 2 headset.

Sideloading using App Lab is the easiest method; you can download Pavlov straight to your Oculus Quest 2 headset. SideQuest requires a few additional steps and requires a PC, and it can be tiresome and difficult for first-time Oculus Quest 2 headset users.

SideQuest was the only app you could use for a long time to sideload games and apps on your Oculus Quest 2 that are not available on the Oculus Store. To use SideQuest, the first thing you need to do is unlock the develop mode on your Oculus Quest 2.

After creating a developer account, download the SideQuest app on your PC and install it. Connect your Oculus Quest 2 to your PC and launch the SideQuest app. Put on your headset and select “Allow USB debugging” to start the sideloading process.

After you have finished setting up SideQuest on your PC and Oculus Quest 2 headset, it is time to sideload the Pavlov VR game. Launch the SideQuest app on your PC and click on the search bar. Type Pavlov on the search bar, select the Pavlov game, and click on “INSTALL TO HEADSET” to install the game on your headset.

A progress notification will appear on the bottom of the SideQuest window showing you how far the installation process has reached. After the installation process is complete, put on your Oculus Quest 2 headset and select “Library.” Select “Unknown Sources” and choose the Pavlov game to start playing it.

Since the process of sideloading using the SideQuest app is a little complicated, Meta Quest introduced App Lab to make sideloading on Oculus Quest 2 easy. Download and install App Lab on your headset using the SideQuest app. App Lab allows you to directly install any app or games in its library without using a PC or smartphone.

You do not have to enable developer mode or create a developer account to install games on your headset using App Lap. Search the Pavlov game on App Lap and click install to install the Pavlov game. Once the installation process is complete, you can find the Pavlov: Shock game on your Quest library.

The best app to sideload the Pavlov game on your Oculus Quest 2 is App Lab, since it does not have many steps. You also do not need to connect your VR headset to a PC before you can sideload the game. You should note that the Pavlov: Shock game is experimental or still in development.

Pavlov: Shock is a VR version of the Pavlov PC VR game; hence the developer is still scaling down the original game to ensure it works better on the Oculus Quest 2 headset. Therefore, you might experience comfort and performance issues since Oculus is yet to take Pavlov: Shock through the full Oculus review process.

How Do You Install Pavlov on Oculus 2?

Pavlov is famous among VR gamers globally, courtesy of its mod potential and unlimited content. The game is also customizable with amazingly unique features that take your VR experience to another level. It is also multiplayer, and you can enjoy it with friends and family. Thus, knowing how to install this game on Oculus 2 headsets is an added advantage.

While the original Pavlov VR is only available on Steam instead of the Oculus Store as expected, you can install this game on your Oculus 2 if you have a PC or directly to your Oculus 2 using SideQuest. On your gaming PC, this installation is possible through the Oculus Link or Virtual Desktop. The SideQuest comes in handy for gamers without gaming PCs.

With VR gaming taking the show in the gaming industry, investing in quality headsets such as the Oculus 2 is advantageous. However, you also need to know how to install games such as Pavlov on your headsets to enjoy it with other gamers online.

To install and play Pavlov on Quest 2, you require a gaming PC, which you will use to stream your content to your headset. This installation is possible through an Oculus link or Virtual desktop. Alternatively, you can install Pavlov Shack if you do not have a gaming PC. Pavlov Shack is the unofficial version of Pavlov VR, and you can install it through SideQuest.

Generally, your gaming PC gives you the best option to stream Pavlov on the Oculus Quest 2. There are two streaming options you can use, namely, the virtual desktop and the Oculus link. The virtual desktop is an app available on the Oculus store that enables you to stream content from your PC to your VR headset wirelessly and seamlessly.

To use it, start by downloading the Virtual desktop app, open the app, and then Steam VR. While here, search for Pavlov VR or go to the Steam Library and search for it there. Finally, launch Pavlov VR by clicking on it.

While connecting via the virtual desktop is wireless, you will physically connect your headset to your PC via a high-quality USB cable if you want to stream through the Oculus link. Therefore, your choice of the above two options will depend on the length and quality of your USB cable, PC specifications, and wireless or Ethernet connection. You may not need to worry much about the USB cable, as in most cases, it is long enough to ensure you move freely within the room.

If you use the Oculus link, your headset will become the monitor, displaying your activities. Thus, before buying a cable and switching to this option, start by ensuring your PC meets the minimum requirements for this method.

This includes an 8GB + RAM, a USB port, Intel i5-4590, and it should be windows 10. If your computer is powerful enough, navigate the Oculus app, then turn on your Quest 2. Next, plug your USB 3 cable on your PC’s USB 3.0 port and connect the other end to your headset.

This action will cause a message to pop on your VR headset prompting you to Allow access to data. Once it pops, select Deny. If you accidentally choose Allow, unplug your USB from the Quest and start the process again. Afterward, Enable Oculus Link by selecting the Enable tab.

You can also use the Oculus Air Link, which is as effective as the link cable. The only difference is that the Oculus Air Link cable is wireless, hence you do not need to incur the expense of purchasing a new cable. Also to note is that this feature is available in the experimental mode, and the connection may not be as stable as that of a cable.

To connect through the link cable, put on your Quest 2 headset and open the universal menu. Next, navigate to the settings and select Experimental Features. Select the button next to Air Link, read the requirements, and select Continue.

Afterward, select your PC in the list of Available PCs, then Pair. After the pairing is complete, click Launch. You need v28 Oculus Software or higher for the Air Link to work. To check your current version, navigate the settings menu.

If you do not have a gaming PC, the Pavlov: Shack is the best alternative for Quest 2. Pavlov: Shack, initially known as Pavlov Lite, is different from the original Pavlov VR courtesy of its graphics, customization, and crossplay features. Pavlov: Shack features toned-down graphics, given the limited resources in creating the game.

You will also experience limitations with the custom maps, bots on maps, game modes, and weapon scopes on Pavlov: Shack than Pavlov VR. The cross-play feature is also unavailable, and you can only play with users on Pavlov: Shack only and not those using its PC version.

Pavlov: Shack features smooth gameplay despite the above limitations, attracting more individuals into its community. You may want to go in this direction, and to access the game, you will have to download the SideQuest application then use its library to access Pavlov: Shack.  Installing SideQuest can be time-consuming, but you will have to endure this once.

Installing SideQuest starts with the actual download on Windows, Mac, or Linux, then creating an account. To allow apps and games to download and install in your headset, you will need to enable the Developer mode.

This requires you to register with the developer on the Oculus website by creating an Organization. This process is easy and free. You will get a prompt to accept the agreement and verify your account via a credit card or phone number but skip this step if you have an already verified account.

If you are using windows, you will install drivers for your headset. As a verified developer, open the Oculus app on your device, navigate to the settings on your headset and tap More Settings. You will see Developer Mode in the list, and you should enable it. At this point, you should reboot your headset to effect the changes.

Finally, connect your USB cable and allow debugging. You will see a green dot at the top left of SideQuest and your headset name, and you can proceed to install apps on your Oculus 2.

To install Pavlov to your Oculus Quest 2 through SideQuest, navigate to the Store where you can download the game and click the Install to Headset tab. From here, you can enjoy this multiplayer shooter game for free without errors.

How Much Is Pavlov VR Oculus 2?

Pavlov VR is among the first games that Sony confirmed in its next-generation VR headset. With the Pavlov VR community growing over time, you may wonder how much it costs.

Pavlov VR is available at $24.99 on Oculus Quest 2 and PlayStation VR 2 headsets. At this cost, gamers also enjoy crossplay functionality. Unfortunately, crossplay will not extend to the original PSVR users. While Pavlov VR comes at a cost, Pavlov: Shack continues to be free on all platforms awaiting its official release.

The Quest 2 can download the game through SideQuest, and sideloading the game to your standalone headset will require you to have a developer account. Luckily, this process is simple and will not require extra purchases.

While the above updates on Pavlov VR seem minor, they reportedly attracted a spike of players under 24 hours after going live. This served as a testament to the importance of convenience in the Oculus Quest. Despite its availability for download since January 2020, it was until it was made available through the Oculus Store that the servers started popping.

Wrap Up

If you want to install Pavlov VR, you can do so using SideQuest. This installation is possible for gamers without gaming PCs since you can do it using a Virtual Desktop or Oculus Link. The Virtual Desktop offers wireless means just like the Oculus Air Link. On PlayStation VR2 headsets, this game is available at $24.99, enabling gamers to enjoy the crossplay. However, the latter feature does not extend to PSVR users.

Bal Kang

Bal Kang is a technology expert based in the UK, with experience across a number of technology areas from phones, tablets, computers to gaming.

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