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PICO Store

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PICO Store
Information
Platforms PICO OS
Devices Pico Neo 2, Pico Neo 3 Link, Pico 4, Pico 4 Ultra
Operating Systems PICO OS
Accessible Standalone VR, Web
Developer PICO (ByteDance)
Website https://store-global.picoxr.com/global

The PICO Store (also written Pico Store, and called the PICO App Store in some PICO announcements) is the digital storefront for games and apps on the standalone headsets made by PICO, the virtual reality company owned by ByteDance. Users browse, buy and download content inside the headset, and since January 2024 also through a global web store.[1][2] PICO's developer platform distributes apps to two channels, the "PICO Consumer Store" and the "PICO Business Store", and reviews submissions against separate content guidelines for Chinese Mainland and for other regions.[3][4]

The store began as a regional and enterprise-focused catalog and was rebuilt for consumers when PICO entered the European consumer market with the Pico Neo 3 Link in 2022. It is the main content channel for the Pico 4 and Pico 4 Ultra. Between 2023 and 2025 PICO added a lightly curated PICO Lab section, replaced it with an "Early Access" label inside the main store, opened submissions to all developers, began listing web apps, and allowed individual developers to sell paid apps.[5][6][7]

Reviewed 21 October 2026. Checked every date, number, quote and attribution against the cited PICO developer blog posts and documentation (rendered), PICO web store pages, and the UploadVR, Road to VR, MIXED, Ghost Howls, MoguLive, Auganix, TechNode, PR Newswire and SiliconANGLE articles. About review dates.

History

Early store and Asian content (2019-2021)

PICO's early headsets were sold mostly to businesses, and some of them shipped with more than one storefront. When PICO revealed the Pico G2 4K ahead of CES 2019, UploadVR reported that the headset ran "both Pico's own store and HTC's Viveport M storefront".[8] A year earlier, at CES 2018, Road to VR had reported that PICO planned to launch its Neo headset globally with HTC's Viveport mobile store.[9]

On 31 March 2021 PICO announced Pico Studios, a publishing division that worked with developers worldwide to bring 6DoF games to consumers in China, Japan and South Korea. According to the announcement, Pico Studios had already launched more than 400 apps on the Pico Store, and developers could release content for the Pico Neo 2, the Neo 2 Lite and future 6DoF headsets such as the Pico Neo 3. Titles named as available included SUPERHOT VR, Angry Birds VR: Isle of Pigs, OhShape, Sairento VR: Untethered, Death Horizon: Reloaded and Racket: Nx. Pico listed porting help, development kit loans, localization, multiplayer server setup, funding and SDKs among its forms of developer support; submitted apps were reviewed by the Pico team before listing.[10] ByteDance bought PICO in August 2021.[11]

Consumer launch in Europe (2022)

PICO announced the Neo 3 Link at Laval Virtual on 13 April 2022 and described its European launch as a beta program. Participants were asked to test and give feedback on "upgrades to the Pico Store, Pico user account, payment, social, and other services". PICO said the store held more than 200 6DoF VR apps, naming SUPERHOT VR, Puzzling Places, After the Fall, Walkabout Mini Golf, Eleven Table Tennis and Demeo.[12][13] Writing at launch, The Ghost Howls blogger Skarredghost said PICO had previously been a headset for companies "with an enterprise store", and that its staff had re-architected the store, the payment system, the accounting system and the backend for consumers. He also reported that PICO intended to adapt content from its business store for consumers where feasible.[14]

PICO 4 and the developer incentive program (2022-2023)

When the Pico 4 launched in October 2022, UploadVR's launch-day list of major titles included Demeo, Superhot VR, Walkabout Mini Golf, Eleven Table Tennis, Rec Room, Blade & Sorcery: Nomad and Les Mills Bodycombat. PICO told the outlet that developers had to adapt their games to the new headset, and that "The list is growing every day".[15] MIXED gave different counts for the store's catalog around launch: 150 VR games on 19 October 2022 and about 230 on 29 October 2022.[16][17]

At the Pico 4 keynote, Leland Hedges announced the Pico Developer Incentive Program for studios publishing on the Pico Store. The Ghost Howls reported that ByteDance had set aside a US$12 million fund, that each approved title could receive up to US$2 million, and that applications opened on 8 October 2022. A PICO spokesperson told the blog the program applied only to experienced developers of consumer content and to games that had not been released before.[18] PICO's current Developer Program page describes a funding program for developers who have launched a B2C VR application or worked on VR entertainment content, and says it is not intended for beginners; besides funds, it offers hardware access, SDK support and in some cases marketing resources.[19]

The planned headline exclusive did not reach the store. PICO had announced at its 2022 product event that Ubisoft's Just Dance VR would come exclusively to the Pico 4 in 2023.[20] In November 2023 PICO cancelled Blitz Rhythm, a Beat Saber-style game built around the Pico Motion Tracker, and laid off its developers during wider cuts; ByteDance said PICO would "focus more on hardware and core technologies".[21] Later that month Ubisoft told UploadVR it was "working with a new partner" for Just Dance VR,[22] and in June 2024 Road to VR reported that the game was set to launch on Quest headsets on 15 October that year.[20] VRChat, whose absence from the Pico 4 at launch had drawn complaints, appeared on the store with a "coming soon" notice in October 2023 and became available on 9 November 2023, initially requiring controllers.[23][24]

PICO Lab (2023-2024)

In July 2023 PICO launched PICO Lab, which it described as "a brand new independent section in the PICO Store" with its own distribution resources and a faster submission process. Any PICO developer could upload a PICO Lab version of an app to gather user feedback before an official release, but payments were not supported, and PICO Lab covered only the Consumer Store.[25] UploadVR compared it with Meta's App Lab, noting that its approval process was much less strict than the main store's but that, unlike App Lab, it allowed only free apps without in-app payments.[5][26]

Web store and web apps (2023-2024)

On 30 October 2023 PICO said web development was now an officially supported way to build apps for its platform. Web apps, including 2D progressive web apps and what PICO called "Immersive PWA" (combining WebXR with PWA technology), could be installed from the PICO browser or submitted on the developer platform and listed on the PICO App Store.[27] In January 2024 PICO opened the PICO Global Web Store. MoguLive reported that PICO had not previously had a Meta-style web store, so apps could not be bought or shared on the web; the new site offered genre filters (including "MR" and "free"), rankings, wish lists and Japanese-language support.[2] In July 2024 PICO announced that the WebXR game portal heyVR.io had become "the first Web App launched on PICO Store", submitted through the PICO Developer Console as a URL.[28]

Opening the store (2024-2025)

In a letter dated June 2024 and posted on 1 July, the PICO Developer Team announced that the PICO App Store "will soon welcome ALL developers". Developers would be able to upload apps directly "as long as they pass our platform tests and comply with local regulations"; every app would have a chance to be recommended in search; PICO Lab would become an "Early Access" label; and individual developers, who could already publish free apps, would later be allowed to submit paid ones.[29][30] UploadVR noted that the move came about two months after Meta announced a similar merger of App Lab into the Quest store.[30]

PICO removed the separate "Early Access (PICO Lab)" submission channel on 5 November 2024. From then on developers submitted every app to the PICO Store and could mark it "Early Access"; apps already in that section became official listings carrying the label, which appears on app icons and detail pages. PICO said Early Access versions are reviewed against slightly different criteria from full releases.[6] On 22 April 2025 PICO announced that individual developers could self-publish and sell paid apps entirely online through the PICO Developer Console. Content from individual developers is distributed in a "Discover Indies" section, and titles that perform well at launch may receive extra featured placements and promotions.[7][31]

Features

Storefronts

Inside the headset, the store is the main place to find and install content; PICO's web catalog groups games into categories such as Shooting, Horror & Adventure, Entertainment, Sports & Fitness, Mixed Reality and Mixed Reality Capture, and states that new releases arrive every week.[1] The web store at store-global.picoxr.com has Featured, Games, Top Apps, Wish List and Browse All sections, shows user ratings and prices, lists upcoming titles with counts of interested users, and marks Early Access titles.[32] In 2022 PICO told UploadVR that users could filter the store per headset in its companion mobile app to check which titles a device supports.[15]

In China, UploadVR reported at the August 2024 launch of the Pico 4 Ultra that ByteDance was adding a store for 2D Android apps, including Douyin (the Chinese version of TikTok) and iQIYI.[33] Chinese content deals announced for the Pico 4 in 2022 included more than 50 planned fitness apps, a VR version of the animated series Ling Long, an interactive work based on The Three-Body Problem, and virtual concerts.[34]

Publishing process

PICO's distribution guide lists the steps for publishing: create a developer account and select a region, create an organization in the name of an individual or a company (qualification review takes about one working day), create the app, enter payment details for paid content, sign the PICO Developer Product Distribution Agreement where required, upload a build to a distribution channel, optionally invite testers through a test channel, edit store information and submit for review. PICO states that it completes reviews within 5 to 7 working days. Developers choose between the PICO Consumer Store and the PICO Business Store, and a build can be copied between channels. Individual developers outside Chinese Mainland receive payment through a bank account, while those in Chinese Mainland enter a Douyin UID; the platform issues monthly settlement statements and pays out once earnings pass a threshold.[3]

Review guidelines

The PICO Store Review Guidelines include the PICO XR Check (PXRC) checklist for the Consumer Store, which covers app information, content and functionality. Content must follow separate guidelines for release in Mainland China and outside it.[4] Examples of mandatory PXRC requirements are:[4]

Area Requirement (as stated by PICO)
Package The Consumer Store only supports 64-bit apps; new submissions had to be 64-bit from 1 July 2025 and all updates from 20 October 2025 (UTC+8)
Sound Default volume set to 50%; volume adjustable with the headset keys and in-app settings
Frame rate Interactive apps 72 FPS; media apps 60 FPS or higher; Early Access apps at least 60 FPS
Stability 45 minutes of continuous operation without crashes, freezes, low battery alerts or overheating warnings
Launch time VR or loading screen within 5 seconds of launch; no more than 10 seconds from start to access

Supported devices

Content on the store targets PICO's standalone headsets. The 2021 Pico Studios program covered the Pico Neo 2, Neo 2 Lite and later 6DoF models such as the Neo 3;[10] the 2022 European consumer launch began with the Neo 3 Link,[12] followed by the Pico 4 in October 2022[15] and the Pico 4 Ultra in 2024.[33] Business customers use the separate Business Store channel.[3] PICO's developer site lists the PICO 4 series and PICO Neo3 series in its hardware section.[19] In July 2023 UploadVR reported that the Pico 4 was still not sold in North America.[5]

Reception

At the European Pico 4 launch, MIXED reported that the store had no exclusive titles. In the same article, SideQuest founder Shane Harris said "Until now there really hasn't been a desire from developers to support anything other than Quest, but that's changing", and added that developers he had spoken to were nervous about supporting a new platform because of the cost of porting and ongoing maintenance.[17] In 2022 Skarredghost wrote that the store would not have strong curation like the Oculus Store but would be open to content that was not offensive, "a bit like Steam".[14] MIXED later said PICO Lab's free-only rule limited its appeal to developers,[35] and UploadVR's David Heaney wrote that opening the store to more apps could make existing apps harder to discover.[30] In PICO's own April 2025 announcement, indie developers quoted by the company praised its support and recommendation system.[7]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "The Best VR Games". PICO Global. PICO Immersive. https://www.picoxr.com/global/play-store/. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 ノンジャンル人生 (2024-01-30). "PICOがグローバルウェブストアを公開 これまで不可能だったWEB上でのアプリ購入や共有が可能に". MoguLive. https://www.moguravr.com/?p=244867. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "App distribution overview". PICO Developer. Pico Technology Co. Ltd.. https://developer.picoxr.com/document/distribute/app-distribution-overview/. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "PICO XR Check (PXRC) Guidelines". PICO Developer. Pico Technology Co. Ltd.. https://developer.picoxr.com/document/distribute/app-review-overview/. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 David Heaney (2023-07-11). "Pico Lab Is The App Lab Equivalent For Free Pico 4 Apps". UploadVR. https://www.uploadvr.com/pico-lab/. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "PICO Store Early Access Launched". PICO Developer Blog. Pico Technology Co. Ltd.. 2024-11-15. https://developer.picoxr.com/blog/pico-store-early-access/. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 "PICO Now Supports Self-Publishing and Paid App Distribution for Individual Developers". PICO Developer Blog. Pico Technology Co. Ltd.. 2025-04-22. https://developer.picoxr.com/blog/self-publishing-and-paid-distribution/. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  8. ↑ Jamie Feltham (2019-01-03). "CES 2019: Pico Reveals Standalone G2 4K VR Headset". UploadVR. https://www.uploadvr.com/ces-pico-g2-4k-vr-headset/. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  9. ↑ Scott Hayden (2018-01-10). "CES 2018: Pico Neo 6DoF Standalone Headset to Bring Viveport Mobile Westward". Road to VR. https://www.roadtovr.com/ces-2018-pico-neo-6dof-standalone-viveport-mobile/. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Pico Studios to partner with global developers to bring VR apps and games to users of Pico's 6DoF headsets in Asia". Auganix. 2021-03-31. https://www.auganix.org/?p=9859. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  11. ↑ Kyt Dotson (2021-08-30). "TikTok owner ByteDance acquires VR headset maker Pico". SiliconANGLE. https://siliconangle.com/2021/08/30/tiktok-owner-bytedance-acquires-vr-headset-maker-pico/. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 "The Pico Neo 3 Link Debuts at Laval Virtual 2022: Pico Interactive Enters Europe's Consumer VR Market with New Headset and Beta Program". PR Newswire. Pico Interactive. 2022-04-13. https://prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/the-pico-neo-3-link-debuts-at-laval-virtual-2022-pico-interactive-enters-europe-s-consumer-vr-market-with-new-headset-and-beta-program-899943273.html. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  13. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 Harry Baker (2022-10-18). "Pico 4 Games: All Major VR Apps Available Today At Launch". UploadVR. https://www.uploadvr.com/pico-4-games-launch/. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  14. ↑ Josef Erl (2022-10-19). "Pico 4: All available and announced VR games". MIXED. https://mixed-news.com/en/pico-4-all-available-and-announced-vr-games/. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  15. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Josef Erl (2022-10-29). "Are there too few VR games for Pico 4 and is Sidequest the solution?". MIXED. https://mixed-news.com/en/?p=9596. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  16. ↑ Skarredghost (2022-10-13). "How to apply for the $12M fund of the Pico Developer Incentive Program". The Ghost Howls. https://skarredghost.com/2022/10/13/pico-developer-incentive-program/. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  17. ↑ 19.0 19.1 "PICO Developer Program". PICO Developer. Pico Technology Co. Ltd.. https://developer.picoxr.com/developer-program. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  18. ↑ 20.0 20.1 Scott Hayden (2024-06-11). "Rhythm Game 'Just Dance VR' is Skipping Pico 4 Exclusivity and Launching on Quest in October". Road to VR. https://www.roadtovr.com/just-dance-vr-quest-2-3-pico-4-skipped/. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  19. ↑ Henry Stockdale (2023-11-10). "Pico Cancels Beat Saber Competitor & Lays Off The Developers". UploadVR. https://www.uploadvr.com/pico-beat-saber-competitor-cancelled/. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  20. ↑ Henry Stockdale (2023-11-20). "'New Partner' Takes Lead On Ubisoft's Just Dance VR". UploadVR. https://www.uploadvr.com/just-dance-vr-new-partner/. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  21. ↑ Josef Erl (2023-10-23). "VRChat will soon be released for Pico 4". MIXED. https://mixed-news.com/en/?p=19247. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  22. ↑ David Heaney (2023-11-09). "VRChat Is Now Available On Pico 4". UploadVR. https://www.uploadvr.com/vrchat-pico-4/. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  23. ↑ "Introducing All New PICO Lab". PICO Developer Blog. Pico Technology Co. Ltd.. https://developer.picoxr.com/blog/PICOLab/. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  24. ↑ Josef Erl (2023-07-13). "Free VR games for Pico 4: ByteDance launches Pico Lab". MIXED. https://mixed-news.com/en/free-vr-games-for-pico-4-bytedance-launches-pico-lab/. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  25. ↑ "PICO officially supports Web Apps and web developers". PICO Developer Blog. Pico Technology Co. Ltd.. 2023-10-30. https://developer.picoxr.com/blog/web/. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  26. ↑ Ke Jing, Dexter Yang (2024-07-30). "heyVR.io Becomes the First Web App on PICO Store, Ushering in a New Chapter for the WebXR Ecosystem". PICO Developer Blog. Pico Technology Co. Ltd.. https://developer.picoxr.com/blog/oru5hv2u/. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  27. ↑ "For all XR developers: A More Open Ecosystem Ahead". PICO Developer Blog. Pico Technology Co. Ltd.. 2024-07-01. https://developer.picoxr.com/blog/lx9jwh1l/. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  28. ↑ 30.0 30.1 30.2 David Heaney (2024-07-01). "Pico Is Also Opening Up Its Store & Getting Rid Of Its App Lab Equivalent". UploadVR. https://www.uploadvr.com/pico-store-also-opening-up/. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  29. ↑ Josef Erl (2025-04-24). "Pico's new platform policy makes life easier for independent XR developers". MIXED. https://mixed-news.com/en/picos-new-platform-policy-makes-life-easier-for-independent-xr-developers/. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  30. ↑ "PICO Store". PICO Global Web Store. PICO. https://store-global.picoxr.com/global. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  31. ↑ 33.0 33.1 David Heaney (2024-08-20). "Pico 4 Ultra Launches In China With Specs Slightly Superior To Quest 3". UploadVR. https://www.uploadvr.com/pico-4-ultra-china-launch/. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  32. ↑ Ward Zhou (2022-09-30). "ByteDance launches Pico 4 in China with local content". TechNode. https://technode.com/2022/09/30/bytedance-launches-pico-4-in-china-with-local-content/. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  33. ↑ Tomislav Bezmalinovic (2024-07-02). "Pico follows Meta's example and opens the Pico Store". MIXED. https://mixed-news.com/en/open-pico-store/. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
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