A dormant ‘Guardian Intrusion Detection’ interface prompt in the Oculus Quest system software was found by YouTuber Basti564.
Basti showed us how to find and launch the prompt. We verified it’s real, and exists in the current Quest firmware. There is no evidence of any functionality yet – it looks like this is just a dormant prompt for a potential future feature.
Based on the wording, it looks like this feature will let you know if any object bigger than a human hand enters your space while you’re in VR. That should mean less risk of accidentally punching your family or housemates in the face, and it may also protect cats and dogs that don’t understand you can’t see them.
Quest headsets have cameras on the front and top sides, so the system warns you it won’t be able to see behind you, and “works best in rooms with ample lighting”.
Basti564 tells us this prompt has existed since Quest software v24, launched in December. Reddit user Reggy04 claims strings referencing ‘Intrusion Alert’ existed as early as v20 back in September, which we were able to independently confirm.
So does this mean Intrusion Detection is launching some time soon? It’s unclear.
Guardian’s Couch Mode, just launched in February, was first spotted in the Quest software back in July, seven months earlier. Conversely, references to a shared-space colocation mode have existed as far back as August 2019, but that feature has yet to even be announced.
Since May 2020, Guardian warns you of static obstacles in your playspace when you boot up. But that warning only shows up in passthrough mode, so Intrusion Detection could be the natural next step.
VR is sometimes criticized as isolating, but each year headsets get a little more aware of the real world around you, and we don’t expect that trend to stop any time soon.
