Facebook to host digital game dev showcase to launch new Oculus VR titles

The digital Facebook: Game Developers Showcase will be held between March 16 and 19. The event will see a slew of new announcements for the Oculus platform.

Facebook: Game Developers Showcase (digital) set for March 16 (AP)

Facebook has announced it will host online events between March 16 and 19 to showcase new Oculus titles after the annual Gamer Developer Conference was cancelled due to coronavirus outbreak.

During the "digital Facebook: Game Developers Showcase", the company will see "breaking updates" and latest trailers for the long-awaited games for Oculus Quest and the Rift platform. The company will also make some "special announcements" for the developer community during the online event.

Facebook confirmed it will have new announcements for popular games such as Pistol Whip and Beat Saber. Games such as The Room VR: A Dark Matter, Lies Beneath, and Phantom: Covert Ops will also see new updates.

"We're a few short months away from the 1-year anniversary of both Quest and Rift S, and there's plenty to celebrate thanks to blockbuster game releases and improved software features, with much more to come. Facebook is heavily invested in building the future of VR with our developers and the rapidly growing VR gaming audience. We're excited to build that future with all of you," said the company on its Oculus website.

Facebook's decision to host a digital event is in line with the ongoing trend of cancelling physical technology conferences in the wake of coronavirus outbreak across the world.

Facebook has already cancelled its annual F8 developer conference for this year. The event was scheduled to take place in May.

"In light of the growing concerns around COVID-19, we've made the difficult decision to cancel the in-person component of F8 this year, in order to prioritise the health and safety of our developer partners, employees and everyone who helps put F8 on," Facebook said.